World Wide Story
by webcomix
Summary: Lovina Vargas was less than thrilled when she and her twin moved to a new city. What happens when her family convinces her to audition for the school musical? Rehearsals and romance, of course! Genflip AU, rated for mouth and innuendo. BEING EDITED - current changes: 14/29 chapters
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello there, welcome to Comix's first ever fanfiction that was actually for a living, thriving fandom! The concept is simple: combine two things I adore, theatre and APH. This is the new edited version released on July 25****th****, 2012 – the original went up on July 25****th****, 2010. But don't worry, nothing really changes apart from some added segments and reworking of phrases! The plot and events will stay the same.**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein.**

* * *

With a grunt, Arthur shoved the last thumbtack onto the last poster and into the last bulletin board, then stepped back to survey his work. He'd spent the better part of an afternoon trudging around Hetalia High School putting up these notices by himself. It wasn't the most exciting task, but now every hallway and classroom displayed this announcement prominently:

_CASTING CALL: WEST SIDE STORY_

_We are looking for ACTORS, SINGERS, and DANCERS for HHS's student-run spring musical. This is the only the first round of auditions, so you will only need to prepare a short song. Please DO NOT sing a song from West Side Story. There will be a short cold read provided, so you do NOT have to prepare a monologue. Dance auditions will be conducted at callbacks. If you are selected for a callback, we will contact you individually. If you have any questions, contact us at . Break a leg!_

_Sincerely,  
Arthur Kirkland - Director  
Wang Ho Kam - Assistant Director  
Roderich Edelstein - Music Director  
Maddie Williams - Stage Manager  
Francis Bonnefoy - Choreographer_

He sighed. It would have to do. A glance up at the hallway clock told him that if he didn't make it out of there in three minutes, he'd miss his bus.

Hightailing it down the hall, Arthur threw himself against the heavy front doors of the school. The only thing that the extra theatrics served to do was to have him slip on the steps, where newly fallen snow had been lying in wait.

"DAMNIT!"

He got to his feet and brushed the melting snow off his pants, just to see the back of the public bus cheerfully rumbling away.

"_GOD_DAMNIT!"

* * *

A few blocks away, Lovina Vargas kicked open the front door to her house, not caring about the muddy smudge the tip of her boot created on the wood. Stomping indoors, she dropped her coat onto the floor and made a beeline for the living room. Throwing herself into the largest, squishiest armchair, she buried her face into the armrest and groaned.

Lovina hadn't enjoyed the first half of the year at her new school, and the first day of winter semester hadn't thrilled her, either. That past summer, her mother had received an unexpected job offer all the way back in Italy, to help some literary journal get started. It was something stable, well-paid, and irresistible to Ms. Roma's penchant for being involved in daring new projects, regardless of whether they succeeded or not. The only problem was that there was no accommodation for two teenage girls included in the deal. So Lovina and Feliciana had packed up their things, been shoved into a car, and then deposited on their grandfather's doorstep four hours away in the city.

"You'll like it," their mother had assured them. "There are always a lot of things to do there. I'm sure both of you will end up being too busy to call me anyway."

Lovina, having claimed shotgun, rolled her eyes skeptically. Feliciana, lodged between boxes that hadn't fit in the trunk, bounced up and down.

"Mama, will Francis and Auntie Monica be nearby too?"

Lovina gritted her teeth at the mention of her cousin. All he ever did was tease her whenever there was a family reunion. Now that they'd be in daily visitation distance, she could only see misery in the near future.

"Not exactly. They have a flat downtown. Grandpa's house is quite a walk from there. But you'll be going to the same school."

And it was this school, Hetalia High, which Lovina had now been attending for about four months. She still didn't care for it, but Feliciana had been quick to make friends – she'd even found a best friend. Given a couple of weeks, he might have even reached boyfriend status, but Lovina had threatened that blond dumbass with bodily harm if any evidence of _inappropriate doings_ were to be found. She had also decided that she would be the sole judge of that.

Lovina had also found the city to be quite daunting and full of things she didn't particularly care about. Feliciana, always the innocent and trusting half, had dived into everything headfirst. She was always skipping out of the house, excited to spend a day with her friends at art galleries, fashion boutiques, concerts, or any other event happening downtown. Feliciana often begged Lovina to join her, but the elder sibling did not want to endure the company of "that macho potato." When Feliciana suggested a few school clubs to participate in, Lovina had covered herself in a blanket and hummed loudly until Feliciana gave up and left her alone.

Feliciana's busy schedule and social life more than fulfilled their mother's expectations, so Lovina became a recluse. Every day, as soon as the last bell rang, she took off in the direction of their house, not stopping for anything until she kicked in the front door. Settling down in Grandpa Roma's huge armchair, she would read a book…or, as it was more likely, take a nap. School was already so exhausting; how could her mother and Feliciana expect her to get involved with even more crap afterwards?

No sooner had Lovina snuggled into a corner and closed her eyes when the door burst open again.

"Hello! Feli, Lovi? I'm home!"

Leave it to her boisterous grandfather to jolt her from her snooze.

"Lovi, are you there?"

"Yes!" she yelled back, lifting her head irritably. Her grandfather was kicking off his shoes, cans of food clinking loudly in the rustling plastic bags. "_No_ thanks for ruining my nap."

"Ah, you can't just lie about the house all the time." He nodded at her as he shuffled by with the groceries, heading towards the kitchen. "Where's Feli?"

Feeling resentful about being forced into conversation, Lovina chose not to answer. Luckily, she didn't even have to – a jangling of keys, then a scrabbling at the handle, was followed by Feliciana popping the door open again, gasping excitedly through her scarf.

"Lovi, guess what! You'll just _love_ this –"

"Unless it's a jumbo sized bag of ketchup chips, not interested."

"But, but, hear me out!"

"Feli, weren't you going to your friend Kiki's today?" Lovina spotted Grandpa Roma unloading his groceries, across the way in the kitchen. Now that she'd spoken of ketchup chips, Lovina realized that a snack wasn't a bad idea. She watched him more intently as a pair of tomatoes were placed onto the tabletop.

"It's Kiku! Her name is Kiku! Not Kiki! Oh, but Lovi -"

Lovina was not at all pleased at having her attention diverted from the food.

"Look at what they're doing at school! It's perfect for you."

_CASTING CALL: WEST SIDE STORY_

"NO! I don't care what mama said, I don't want to join any stupid club! And you think anyone is perfect for anything."

"Oh, come on. It can't be that bad!" Grandpa Roma walked over to them, a pear in one hand. Lovina grabbed it from him and took a ravenous bite. Feliciana handed the poster over to him, and they peered down at the words together. "Who knows, it could be a lot of fun. You'll finally meet new people – and hey! Francis is helping out! Maybe he can get you a good part."

"I've been meeting new people all year, Grandpa Roma. Since, you know, I didn't know anyone here. And I don't want to spend more time with Francis. Every time he sees me, he steals my headband and messes up my hair!"

"Maybe...he thought you looked better that way?"

"You're so clueless sometimes, Feli."

Grandpa Roma ignored the complaints and handed back the flyer to Feliciana. "Are you going to audition?"

"No way! I can't act. But guess what, when Ludwig saw it – " Lovina frowned. "- he said that maybe later they would need people to play instruments, and then he and I can be part of it too!" Feliciana's eyes shone as her excitement rose. "But I still brought it back for Lovi, since it says that they need singers."

Grandpa Roma blinked in surprise. "You sing?"

"Yeah, she does! Actually, we were both supposed to learn violin together...but after Lovi managed to snap all the strings one go, mama decided that – " Feliciana made air quotes with her fingers. "- that if she is going to be so irresponsible with her instruments, it's better if she's her own instrument!"

"Oh, how wonderful! You could do duets, vocal with accompaniment!"

"I know, right?"

Lovina groaned again. No, she did not do duets. But yes, she did like the singing. In their old town, her music teacher once remarked that Lovina had "very strong lungs." Whether this was from being exceptionally gifted in vocal performance or exceptionally obstinate in her arguments with the teacher, neither could really tell, but one thing was for sure: Lovina had liked the singing. She now realized that she hadn't practiced any of it in months. Coming to the city had made her incredibly lazy.

"Well then, I think it's clear that you _must_ try this."

"What's with the 'must'? I don't have to must anything. Why can't I just do what I'm doing now?"

"Because you're not doing anything productive by being home all the time. At your age, you need to go out and experience life. Have fun! Make friends! You don't have to be lonely all the time."

"Who says I'm lonely and I don't have fun?"

"I do." Grandpa Roma folded his arms across his chest and looked down at his granddaughter sternly. "Who knows what might happen if you're here all by yourself? What if Feliciana or I don't come home until it's really late, and you get in trouble?"

Lovina eyed the poster warily. "You're being overdramatic."

"Okay, then how about this?" Feliciana clapped her hands earnestly. "We're going to have to send college applications next year! And you don't have any extracurricular stuff at all! That might look bad!"

Lovina groaned. It was just an audition. Who knows, maybe her reputation preceded her and they wouldn't cast her on the grounds of being anti-social. The only problem was that being anti-social meant that nobody knew her well enough to realize this. Well, there was Francis, but he probably wouldn't say anything. He was an ass, but unfortunately, he was a very fair ass.

"Fine, I'll audition for your stupid play! But you know that you can't count on me actually getting in!"

"That's good enough for me! Yaaaay, Lovi!" Feliciana pounced on her sister and began squeezing her tightly.

"_Geez_, Feli! Get off me before I pass out!" Lovina struggled to break free, standing up, but lost her balance and fell back into the chair.

"But I'm so happy for you!"

As the sisters tussled, Grandpa Roma returned to the kitchen, chuckling.

* * *

**A/N: Thus ends the first chapter of the revamp! Let me know what you think, everyone...not much was changed – in fact, the main changes are additions. C:****Please don't forget to R&R! Thank you bunches!**

**Since I don't think there are email alerts for replacing a chapter with new content, I suggest people to check up every Saturday or Sunday night...just like old times! xD**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I recall last time I posted my second chapter two days after the first. So, here ya go =3= C****hapter two!**

_**Axis Powers Hetalia **_**belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
**_**West Side Story**_** belongs to Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein.  
"O Del Mio Amato Ben" belongs to Stefano and Alberto Donaudy.**

* * *

Zip. Zip. Zip. Zip.

The hood on her sweater tightened up as Lovina fiddled with the strings anxiously. The sign-up sheet had said 3:40. It was now 3:45. She scowled, yanking particularly hard one side. Class was let out at 3:30, and at a brisk walk, it was only a twenty minute walk back to her grandfather's house. She could have been five minutes away from flopping into the armchair. Five minutes away from her nap – though it was unlikely that she would have been able to sleep, thanks to the butterflies in her stomach. Lovina had carefully chosen her audition slot, the very first time on the very last day. She figured that after seeing so many people, whoever was in charge probably had casted some parts already and would be less inclined to pick her for anything. And the sooner this was over, the sooner she got home.

She absentmindedly fanned a thumb across the pages of her vocal book. There had been quite a lot of digging to find it, even if a quarter of her belongings were still stashed away in boxes. Lovina had practiced only once, just to see if she remembered anything. But Grandpa Roma had come running, so she was forced to showcase her "strong lungs" to an enraptured audience.

Recalling his ecstatic applause, Lovina breathed out a half-groan, half-sigh. She had no idea what today's' reception was going to be like. Of course Grandpa Roma thought it was brilliant; he was obligated to say so as family. But these people, they were going to actually judge. That's why they were called a judging panel. Not that Lovina wanted to be in the stupid musical in the first place, but for some reason, she didn't want to sound terrible, either...the restless hoodie string froze momentarily as she tried to justify herself. She had received training. She was a _good_ singer. Even Feliciana had nothing on this. So naturally, these panel idiots would _have_ to be impressed!

Suddenly, the door flew open and banged against the wall, which startled her to the point of yelping and dropping the song book. Four people hurried inside, but she didn't recognize a single face. Lovina felt all that confidence instantly drain out of her.

The first person she noticed was a tall senior with ash blond hair and very, very thick eyebrows. It was as if a pair of plump caterpillars had decided to take residence on this poor boy's forehead. Underneath these monstrosities were pale green eyes that darted around the room with a determined, slightly manic apprehension to them. When he opened his mouth, Lovina was surprised to hear a British accent.

"Oh. You must be Lovina. I'm Arthur Kirkland, the director of this show...Really sorry about the lateness. Some issues cropped up." He turned to shoot a look at one of his companions. "Or _else_ we would have been on time!"

Another boy, taller than him, shrugged shamelessly and adjusted his glasses. "You know how the after-school crush is like. And there was a lot of snowfall today, so the floor was absolutely disgusting."

Arthur rolled his eyes, but began to introduce the rest. HK Wang was a slight Asian boy, probably a sophomore, sporting a trendy haircut and outfit. His dark brown eyes gleamed with some inner amusement, the only thing betraying his excellent poker face. Maddie Williams was a sweet looking girl with blonde hair and baby blue doe eyes. They widened as she smiled awkwardly at Lovina, her arms wrapped around several books and a clipboard. The uppity brunet who had refused to ingratiate himself with the sweaty packs of students in the hallways was Roderich Edelstein.

"Assistant director, stage manager, and musical director," Arthur stated, pointing at each of them in turn.

Lovina stood awkwardly to one side as they busied themselves with setting up desks and chairs. Roderich had produced an electric keyboard out of nowhere and was now plugging it in. She still wasn't sure whether the audition process had actually started yet. Finally, Arthur, HK, and Maddie (at the same time, to Lovina's horror) whipped out a sheet of paper and a pen, then looked up at her with rapt attention.

Arthur gestured to the slips of paper stacked in front of him. "Would you like to show us your song or your cold read first?"

Lovina just stared at him.

"Hey, here's a thought," HK said. "We've been doing this for five days so we know how things happen. But new people don't. And it might be useful to let them know what's going on." He looked directly at her. "Have you ever auditioned for anything before?"

She shook her head.

"Do you know what _West Side Story _is about?"

"Not...really?"

"Oh, well, maybe that's a good place to start."

Arthur coughed sheepishly. "Alright. Lovina, you do know_ Romeo and Juliet _by William Shakespeare, right?"

At this, she frowned, feeling insulted. "Who doesn't?"

"Okay, fine. Basically, _West Side Story _is an adaptation of _Romeo and Juliet_. Set in 1950s New York City." Arthur put down his pen. "We open with two opposing gangs, the Jets and the Sharks. The Sharks are comprised of immigrants from Puerto Rico, so the Jets are wary of them taking their territory. The Jets are comprised of working class white boys. Juvenile delinquents, if you may. So this is a race battle too. The Puerto Ricans are severely discriminated against, and the Jets aren't making it any easier for them."

The more he explained the details of the story, the more animated Arthur became. He shifted in his seat, leaning forward on his chair's first two legs.

"Finally, the Jets challenge the Sharks to an all-out rumble, a fight, to determine who is the true ruler of the streets. However, a former Jet, Tony, meets Maria, the sister of the Sharks' leader, Bernardo. It's love at first sight for them - doomed love. Bernardo instantly takes a dislike to Tony." Arthur took a deep breath. "Maria begs Tony to stop the rumble, but when he gets there, his best friend and leader of the Jets, Riff, is mortally wounded by Bernardo. Tony, in a blind fit of rage, kills Bernardo. Meanwhile, Maria has confided her newfound love to her sister-in-law, the sensual Anita. Anita initially agrees to help them, but the death of Bernardo and more harrassment from the Jets causes her to tell Tony that Chino, Maria's Shark intended, has murdered her in jealousy. Tony runs to Shark territory, begging Chino to kill him too. As Maria appears, completely unharmed, Chino complies with the request. Tony dies in Maria's arms. The show ends with the Jets and Sharks reconciling over this bitter price."

"And that's it in a nutshell," Maddie said, smiling at Lovina.

"A pretty big nutshell," HK remarked. "Thanks for writing the program notes before we've even finished casting, Arthur."

The older boy did nothing except to pick up his pen and roll his eyes.

"Now," Roderich continued, gesturing at the slips of paper again. "A cold read is when we give you a short scene to look over. You don't need to memorize it. We'll have somebody read the other part with you. Don't worry too much about it. So, would you rather begin with singing or the cold read?"

"Um. Singing?"

Roderich turned the keyboard on. "How long have you been singing?"

"...Five years? Around?"

"Oh, interesting. That's quite a while."

"What kind of training? Do you know your voice type?" Arthur demanded.

"Classical. Mezzo to soprano," Lovina answered stiffly.

He blinked. "Sounds like you know your stuff." He started scribbling on his paper. Lovina was horrified to see that Maddie and HK were jotting down notes as well. Luckily for her, Roderich caught her attention.

"Let's test your voice range. Okay, Lovina?"

He might have a stern face, but his calm made him significantly less intimidating than Arthur. Lovina was well aware of the latter's furious scribbling as Roderich led her up and down the keys.

"Wow. High C. Very impressive. You can definitely do more than just mezzo. I'd say you're a legit soprano." He saw the book in Lovina's hands. "What are you going to sing for us?"

"Uh..." She gazed down at her songbook. That was a really good question. "It's, um. This Italian song. Is it okay if I haven't memorized it?" she asked quickly, realizing she would be completely sunk if they said no.

Roderich glanced at the others before shrugging. "Whatever, why not. You're literally the first soprano we've seen. Would you like a starting note?"

"E flat?"

He paused, fingers suspended in the air over the keyboard. "Sounds like you're not sure."

Lovina gritted her teeth, feeling a blush spreading across her face. "Yes. It's an E flat. E4. The song's A-flat major."

Roderich played her the offending E flat, and the key chord. Then he waited.

Lovina took a deep breath, willing her face to cool down, and began.

_O del mio amato ben, perduto incanto!  
Lungi e dagli occhi miei chi m'era gloria e vanto!  
Or perle mute stanze sempre lo cerco e chiamo,  
Con pieno il cor di speranze...  
Ma cerco invan, chiamo incan!  
E il pianger m'e si caro, che di pianto sol nutro il cor._

She wanted to shut her eyes from the four faces staring at her in fascination. It was clear that nobody else had been like her in the previous auditions. On one level, she was pleased with being different, but on another, standing out had not been the goal. Now they would actually remember her.

_Mi sembra, senza lui, triste ogni loco.  
Notte mi sembra il giorno; mi sembra gelo il foco.  
Se pur talvolta spero di darmi ad altra cura,  
Sol mi tormeta un pensiero:  
Ma, senza lui, che faro?  
Mi par cosi la vita vana cosa senza il mio ben._

The song wasn't very long, and Lovina finished to a silent panel. Maddie and Roderich looked mildly surprised, their glasses glinting slightly in the light. HK turned to Arthur and suddenly let out a short bark of laughter. The eponymous director was staring at Lovina incredulously, not having moved from the first note to the last, his arms still folded tensely against his chest. Flushing another deep red, Lovina glared at him, grabbed her backpack and ran the hell out of there.

As soon as she left, laughter broke the silence.

"Oh my god, a legit soprano. Who would have thought this high school had a _legit_ soprano?"

"I've never seen a face that red."

"So, like. Maybe this means that prayers and sacrificial offerings to Thespis do work after all. Arthur?"

Arthur grinned and slapped the table. "We finally found her. Goddamn, yes."

"We finally found our Maria."

* * *

**A/N: I prefer to have my sopranos more classically trained, so sue me. =D Also, the song is written by two Sicilian brothers, so it's a perfect match if you ask me.**

**Translation, according to my song book:**

_**Oh lost spell of my dearly beloved!  
Far it is from my eyes that which was my glory and virtue!  
Now throughout the silent rooms always I try to find him and cry out  
With my heart full of hopes...  
But I search in vain, I call out in vain!  
Crying is so beloved that only by crying do I console my heart.**_

_**To me, it seems, without him every place seems sad.  
Night to me feels like day; to me, ice seems like fire.  
Sometimes I hope to follow another direction,  
I am tortured by one thought:  
Without him, what will I do?  
To me, life has no point without my beloved.**_

**I'm super excited about the next chapter, by the way. It's going to be so much fun writing it :3**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Wow, this is way longer than the old one =_= My old author notes say that I had written this during the rehearsals of a show, actually.**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein.  
**

* * *

Lovina rapidly walked away from the classroom, cheeks still flushed red in spite of the hallway being completely deserted. It was after 4pm. She was furious with herself for being suckered into this entire ordeal. Mentally screaming at Feliciana and Grandpa Roma, Lovina longed to be home, curled up on her favourite armchair and hiding her face in one of the cushions.

_WHAM._

She had made a terrific crash against something after turning far too sharply at a corner. It was a soft something. With hands. Hands that pulled her to her feet, but not before tugging the plastic headband out of her hair and mussing it up.

Ugh.

Francis smirked in what he clearly thought was a big brotherly kind of way. "Ah, Lovi! What's your big rush, hm? Won't you stop to give me a hug?...Or a kiss?"

She made a swipe at her headband, but he held it out of her reach. "Ewww, no. And that's none of your business."

"Aww, that's no way to talk to your favorite cousin."

"You damn well know that you're not my favorite anything! Give it back!"

She pounded a fist angrily into his shoulder. Wincing, Francis finally yielded the headband. Lovina made a point to stomp on his foot before running towards the closest school exit. Sticking her tongue out at him, she pushed open the door and disappeared.

* * *

Francis wiggled his toes, just to make sure nothing was broken. Lovina was usually all bark with no bite, but…he'd become something of a special case, over the years. She'd once thrown _rocks_ at him when they were younger. Maybe, he mused, it was probably a good idea to tone down on the teasing since she was finally in a position to actually kill him off.

...Nah, she wouldn't. Or would she?

"Hey, Francis!"

Francis turned to see a handsome boy with tousled hair and green eyes strolling towards him, waving excitedly.

"Toni! What are you still doing here?"

"I'm auditioning for Arthur's musical thing. You _will_ help me get in, right?" Antonio flashed him an enigmatic smile, dimples winking.

"Of course. In any way possible. Even if it means groping said director."

Antonio laughed. "Where's Gill? If you're finally out of detention then she should be too."

Francis shrugged. "She spent the first fifteen minutes arguing with the teacher and trying to sneak out, so that got her fifteen minutes more."

The boys sighed and shook their heads. As unfortunate as it was, the news was completely unsurprising. The third part of their team often had her punishments extended. Francis, Antonio and Gillian had been best friends ever since their childhood days. It all began on the first day of kindergarten, when Gillian had climbed to the top of the jungle gym and declared that if anyone was awesome enough to join her, she would agree to be their friend. Antonio had eagerly climbed up and they instantly hit it off. Francis followed somewhat reluctantly, and it was only much later when he and Gillian bonded...in a hospital emergency room. But that is a completely different story.

Though the threesome never had any malicious intent, various teachers, parents, and babysitters throughout the years soon grew to mistrust their presence, and it came to be known to most adults that it was best if the three were separated as much as possible. However, that on its own was a difficult task, even with putting them in separate classes.

Now that they were finally in their senior year - particularly the second semester - the teachers had been slacking off and seemed to care less whether they were in the same classes or not. It still didn't mean Francis and Gillian had gotten away with skipping language arts to build snow sculptures all over the parking lot. It seemed that one of the math teachers had not been thrilled to see his car trapped within a half-built igloo and had personally delivered them to the detention hall himself.

"She's still pissed that they didn't let her finish her snow-chick."

"But why didn't you guys tell me?" Antonio pouted.

"Well, I thought you really liked home ec..."

"Uh...Antonio?"

A hesitant voice interrupted their conversation. The pair turned to see Maddie standing in the doorway. "You can come in for your audition now."

"Thanks!...um..." Antonio was at a loss. This girl looked so familiar, but he just couldn't find the name.

"_Madeleine!_ You look lovely today." Francis was delighted to find someone new to pounce upon. Sidling up to her, he leaned in close. "Seems like we haven't spoken in a whi-"

"Oi! Stop harrassing my stage manager, you dirty frog!"

Antonio laughed as his friend just threw his arm over Maddie's shoulders and ushered her in. Following suit, the first thing he noticed was a visibly irked Arthur.

"What do you want? I told you, we don't need you right now. I'll let you know about the callbacks."

"Oh, I know. Calm down, Artie. Don't...what's the term again? Ah, yes. Get your knickers in a twist." Francis tossed his head oh so nonchalantly as he pulled up another chair to the panel. "But I couldn't resist a chance at giving my friend here some moral support."

"Hey Arthur," HK said, rereading his notes. "We forgot to give Lovina her cold read."

Arthur handwaved that comment aside. "She really didn't need one."

A look of comprehension dawned upon Francis's face.

"..._Lovina_ auditioned?" He shook his head in amazement. "Damn. How could I have missed that?"

"Who's Lovina?" Antonio asked curiously.

"Never you mind," Arthur told him. He pulled out a new sheet of paper. "I'm assuming Francis told you about the premise of _West Side Story_?" Antonio nodded. "Good, then I don't need to repeat myself. Song or cold read first?"

"What?"

Arthur sighed. "I'm getting tired of explaining this every time. A cold read is reading a scene for us without knowing it first. As in literally, you just read it to us."

"Huh?"

"Just...sing first, okay? Range test, Roderich."

After it was confirmed that Antonio could go for either baritone or tenor, the panel asked to hear the song he'd prepared. Antonio felt excited. He had been working on this for the past few days. Granted, most of the practicing had been conducted in the shower, and the classroom was not even a bit close to being so echoey...so he hoped he didn't sound too bad.

_I've never been in love before,  
Now all at once it's you,  
It's you forevermore.  
I've never been in love before,  
I thought my heart was safe,  
I thought I knew the score...  
But this is wine that's all too strange and strong,  
I'm full of foolish song,  
And now my song must pour...  
So please forgive this helpless haze I'm in,  
I've really never been in love before._

There he paused. "That's kind of it."

"Great, great. That was great, Antonio. You can stop," Arthur handed him a slip of paper. "Read this over. It's your cold read - you're going to read this scene with Maddie. Not out loud yet. You'll be Tony. Tell me when you're ready."

"Okay!" Antonio examined the piece of script that had just been handed to him. _Scene Five. 11:00 P.M. A back alley. A suggestion of buildings; a fire escape climbing to the rear window of an unseen flat_. Sounded interesting so far. _Tony looks for where Maria lives, wishing for her. And she does appear, at the window above him, which opens onto the fire escape_. _He calls out to her_.

_Wishing for her._ Antonio found that to be a tad dramatic. Luckily, he didn't mind dramatic stories...and from what Francis had told him, this was definitely dramatic. But at the same time, he didn't want to make it sound cheesy. There was a difference between dramatic and cheesy. How was he going to do it? Antonio stared at the words. Maybe he couldn't relate to something like that – he was only seventeen – but he could try. He could pretend like there was something he wished for so badly. That's what acting is anyway, right?

Maddie cleared her throat again. "So...ready?"

"Sure!" He straightened up, eyes flickering down one more time.

_Wishing for her_.

"Maria..."

"Please, if Bernardo..."

"He's at the dance. Come down!"

"He will soon bring Anita home."

"Just for a minute, then."

"A minute is not enough."

"For an hour, then!"

"I cannot."

"FOREVER!"

"Shhh!"

Maddie looked up from her clipboard and turned to Arthur. Antonio grinned triumphantly. This was easy.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Roderich had to admit that Antonio's audition hadn't gone too badly. In fact, he had a pretty good idea which role Arthur had in mind...the one written in his notebook in red ink and underlined three times. Roderich could even read it from where he was sitting, three people away. Probably the best choice so far, he agreed silently. Having known the boy since elementary school, he knew that Antonio was reliable and easy to work with, even if he was a little spacey. Said space-case had left the room with that same sunny smile, waving to Francis as he stepped out the door.

There was nobody listed in for the next slot. Roderich reached into his book bag and took out a novel on Chopin. Might as well relax.

"Hey, Mads! What's up? Is this the auditions thing? Can I do mine now?"

Arthur groaned.

Roderich blinked. A well-built junior stood beaming in the doorway. Glancing at Maddie, then at the new auditionee, Roderich's first thought was that the two could be twins. Judging by the incredulous look on Maddie's face, they probably were related. And judging by the look on Arthur's face, he probably didn't act anything like Maddie.

She had dropped her pen in shock. "Alfred?"

"What are you doing here, you git? Shouldn't you be at basketball practice or something?" Arthur's pen, in comparison, was being so tightly gripped that his knuckles were nearly white.

"Not doin' it this year."

"What? Why? Aren't you the bloody captain or something?"

"Because, I. I wanna do your play thing!"

An awkward silence filled the room as everyone stared at Arthur, who was fuming furiously.

"Again..._why_?"

Alfred stuck his chin outwards defiantly. "Because I _want_ to. You can't stop me. It's a free country!"

The boys stared hard at each other, both unwilling to step down. Finally, HK spoke up.

"We've got time right now. As long as we finish in fifteen minutes, it's fine."

Arthur tossed his pen onto his notebook, letting out a noncommittal grunt as he folded his arms. A huge grin returned to Alfred's face.

"So! Because it's a musical, I have to like, sing something. Right? What kind of song do you want?"

Roderich reluctantly put away his book. "Any song. We just need to know how you sound like."

"Great! What about this one?"

Before Roderich could respond, Alfred slid to his knees and began to belt as loud as he could.

_TOMMY USED TO WORK ON THE DOCKS  
UNION'S BEEN ON STRIKE, HE'S DOWN ON HIS LUCK  
IT'S TOUGH...  
SO TOUGH!_

Being Alfred, this meant it was really, really loud.

_GINA WORKS A DINER ALL DAY  
WORKIN' FOR HER MAN, SHE BRINGS HOME HER PAY  
FOR LOVE...  
OOOOOH, FOR LOVE!_

_WE GOT TO HOLD ON TO WHAT WE GOT!  
IT DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF WE MAKE IT OR NOT!  
WE GOT EACH OTHER, AND THAT'S A LOT FOR LOVE...  
WE'LL GIVE IT A SHOT!_

Roderich winced at the evident strain in the higher notes. In spite of that, this wasn't a half-bad belting range. He would put him down as a tenor.

_WHOAAAAA WE'RE HALFWAY THERE!  
WHOAAA-OH! LIVIN' ON A PRAYER!_

He looked over to his fellow panelists. Maddie had covered half her face with her hand, though it wasn't easy to tell whether she was amused or mortified. HK had flipped out his cell phone right away, recording. He claimed that having auditions on record would help them choose later on in the process, but Roderich noticed that the sophomore only captured the craziest performances on video. Francis was wearing that smug expression of amusement which he always had. Arthur wasn't even watching - head down, fingers rubbing at his temples.

_JUST TAKE MY HAND, AND WE'LL MAKE IT I SWEAR,  
WHOAAA-OH! LIVIN' ON A PRAYER!  
LIIIIIVIN' ON A PRAAAAAYER!_

"Alright, you're done," snapped Arthur loudly. He had straightened up into his folded-arms-and-scowling position again. "We've heard quite enough."

Alfred looked disappointed. "Aw, but I didn't even get to the guitar solo yet."

Roderich decided to cut in before Arthur had a chance to say something unpleasant. "We apologize. It's just that we're short on time and that was enough for us to make a decision."

Alfred returned to his feet, rubbing his knees. "Cool! So does that mean I get a part?"

"...Maybe. Could you read this over?" HK handed him one of the cold reads. "We're going to try you out with a scene. Let's have you read for..."

Alfred accepted the paper with eager eyes. Roderich glanced from his tall figure to Arthur's hunched over one. The news that this particular student was an athlete explained a lot: he rarely poked his head out of the practice rooms in the music department. He also made it a very pronounced point to steer clear of smelly locker rooms and gyms populated by sports players who were hazardous to one's health. So naturally, he would never have met Alfred before. But there was still one huge unexplained issue present – what happened between Arthur and Alfred? Everybody else seemed to be completely unsurprised by this, so Roderich was left hanging.

Their auditionee snickered at one of the lines in the cold read. He seemed like a very friendly and enthusiastic person, probably an asset to the cast as somebody dedicated to the show. If, Roderich reflected, Arthur would put aside whatever prejudice he had to let him in.

"Dude!_ Sperm to worm_? Who says stuff like that?"

Arthur stopped rubbing the floor with the toe of his shoe and looked up murderously. Roderich sighed.

* * *

Maddie felt like the rope in a tug of war match. Technically, she was supposed to be Arthur's subordinate here, but Alfred was her brother. It was rather complicated to explain, but during the previous year she and Alfred had discovered that they were related – born to the same birth mother, but adopted by different families. An amazing stroke of luck had landed them both at the same high school. Between a small identity crisis, bizarre family discussions, being able to _meet_ their birth mother and her first involvement in a Hetalia High theatre production, that year had been absolutely crazy for Maddie. Alfred had automatically been thrilled to acquire a new sibling, but the truth was that they had very different interests. She truly didn't expect him to try out for the school musical.

Arthur had excused himself to use the restroom the moment Alfred's audition ended. Francis had followed suit, not passing up the chance to heckle his favourite victim in such a vulnerable place. This gave her brother a chance to linger as Roderich cracked open his book again.

"So, what did you think? Am I in?" Alfred leaned across the table, squinting down at her notes.

She covered them up with one arm. "Hey! It's not just for _me_ to decide. Be patient!"

"But isn't today like the last day? Tell me nowwww." He turned to HK. "Come on!"

"You said it yourself. It's the last day, so we'll release results really soon," HK pointed out.

"Pleeeeeease?"

"No!"

"Fine." Without warning, Alfred dropped the subject like a hot potato. "Then I'm going to shoot some hoops. Since, you know. I can't really do the team this year now. See ya!"

He left cheerily, still humming snatches of his audition song to himself. When he was out of earshot, Maddie felt a tap on her shoulder.

Roderich had set down his book for one moment. "Hey, Madeleine. What was...all _that_ between him and Arthur?"

She sighed. Evidently, her role as the rope was really obvious.

"I actually don't know. Al always refuses to talk about it. And honestly, I'm kind of too scared to ask Arthur...you know how he gets. And this one..." She turned and looked pointedly at HK. "Won't say anything."

Her friend shrugged shamelessly. "I keep my secrets."

She didn't have time to respond, because the poor, abused door of the classroom they were using banged open again.

"Yo, Roddy! What's up, you unawesome priss?"

Maddie recognized the voice right away. It was Roderich's turn to groan.

Gillian Beilschmidt, finally out of detention, had made it to her audition. Sauntering over to the keyboard, she grabbed Roderich's book. "Who's this guy, your grandpa? Even he looks less prissy than you, and that's saying a lot."

Roderich chose to answer with a long sigh. Gillian tossed the book back to him and turned to Maddie. "Maddie! What's up, awesome?"

"Um. Hi, Gillian."

"Who else was here today?"

"Only three other people…someone new, named Lovina, then Antonio, and then Alfred."

"What, I missed Toni's audition? Boo, that sucks!"

"Then you should have showed up sooner, or at least keep your nose out of trouble for once." Arthur had returned, but his original demeanor had returned, being used to Gillian. Maddie wondered whether he'd forgiven her, though, for what was now the infamous crashing of last year's play. But Arthur's face was inscrutable – at least his scruples dictated a fair audition.

"But where's Fran-fran? He got out before me!"

Right on cue, Francis strolled back in. "Right here. I know you want a cheering section."

Arthur rolled his eyes, and Gillian laughed. "Hells yeah! Now shall we get on with my _awesome_ audition? Imma blow you guys out of the water."

Roderich sighed. "Fine. Do you know your range?"

"Sure. It's from awesome to totally awesome."

Maddie stifled a giggle. She'd always admired the older girl's confidence. Gillian noticed this and flashed her a smile.

Roderich was less amused. "I mean your vocal range."

"Isn't that what _you're_ for?"

He grimaced and turned on the keyboard again. "Fine, we'll test it. And I want to hear you belt, Gill, because I know you can."

Francis laughed, and even Arthur found it funny. And when Roderich began leading her through the scale, it was clear that he was right. Gillian was definitely the brassiest belter they'd heard so far (though Alfred could probably give her a run for her money), but her range was fairly small.

"Alto," Roderich announced.

"Do you have a song for us?" Arthur asked.

Gillian smirked. "Well, yeah. Really special, too." She looked pointedly at Roderich, who automatically tensed up.

_You walked into the party,  
Like you were walkin' onto a yacht.  
Your hat strategically dipped below one eye,  
Your scarf, it was apricot.  
You had one eye in the mirror as,  
You watched yourself gavotte.  
And, all the girls dreamed that they'd be your partner,  
They'd be your partner, yeah..._

Gillian was surprisingly good in her lower range, maintaining a velvety, sultry tone. Maddie took a quick peek around the panel. Francis was smiling in approval, while HK maintained his perfect poker face. Arthur was busy scribbling notes. Roderich was staring at the ceiling, but he wouldn't be for long.

_YOU'RE SO VAIN_

Suddenly, Gillian Beilschmidt had her palms planted on the keyboard's surface as she belted into Roderich Edelstein's face.

_YOU PROBABLY THINK THIS SONG IS ABOUT YOU,  
YOU'RE SO VAA-YA-AIN,  
I BETCHA THINK THIS SONG IS ABOUT YOU!  
DON'T YOU!  
DON'T YOOOOOU!_

"Thank you, Gillian, that's enough," Arthur said drily as Francis threw his head back and laughed again. Maddie felt sorry for Roderich, but his scandalized reaction was absolutely priceless.

Gillian slowly pulled away from the keyboard, a Cheshire grin splashed across her face. Roderich resembled a person who had just finished a roller coaster ride, breathless and in shock. HK raised his phone and snapped a photo to document it all.

Arthur ignored all of this. "Let's just get on with it, Gill. Here's your cold read."

Gillian accepted it confidently. "It will be the -"

"Most awesome cold read we've ever heard, we get it," Roderich muttered. He received a paper airplane to the head. Maddie was surprised at the speed in which Gillian had folded it. But since it was Roderich, all could just assume that her instincts were at doubled speed.

* * *

Another fifteen minutes later, after an awesome cold read followed by an awesome argument between Gillian and Arthur over it, the awesome Gillian Beilschmidt sauntered out of the classroom, slamming the door in the process. It was amazing how its hinges were still intact.

The panel stirred from their positions. It had been a tiring, yet highly productive day, four very different auditions, all of them also very memorable in their own way. Maddie, Arthur and HK started putting away their notes as Francis helped Roderich move the keyboard back to its original position in the closet. Nobody noticed when the door silently opened once more.

HK was the first to notice, after he zipped up his messenger bag. "Didn't Gillian slam the door?"

Roderich stuck his head out of the closet. "Yes, she definitely did. There is no other way she closes one."

HK pointed. Looking up, the rest of the panel gaped in shock.

There was a very tall boy standing in the doorframe, his broad shoulders leaving little room at either side. Dressed in a long grey coat with a pale pink scarf around his neck, he looked like somebody who was just about to leave, as they were. But the thing was that Ivan Braginski always continued wearing his coat indoors, for some strange reason. He was well known for the eerie aura that emanated around him – every student at Hetalia High tried to stay out of his way. Nobody really understood why Ivan seemed so frightening; he'd never actually done anything harmful to anybody. At least, not yet.

He took another step into the room and the others shrank back. "Oh, no. Am I late?"

Arthur was the first to speak. "Um, late for what?"

"For the _West Side Story _auditions, Arthur."

There was the most abominably awkward silence after that statement. Arthur cleared his throat. "Er...well, we're done for the day. But thank you for expressing your interest, Ivan...I will still include you in our plans.

Ivan stared at him intently. "Really?"

Arthur nodded fervently.

"Yes, yes, I will. Actually, I can even think of a good role for you right now. Just check your email this weekend."

Ivan smiled, his face lighting up. "Alright, then! I'll be waiting." He turned to walk away, scarf twitching behind him.

The five panelists all breathed a sigh of relief. But before they could move, Ivan's face reappeared in the doorway.

"Wait, do you know my email?"

Arthur blinked. "Er..."

"Here, let me write it down for you."

Francis and Maddie bolted out from their places behind Arthur as Ivan neared them. HK slid out from behind the desks with his messenger bag, shrugging in apology as he also left. Roderich was nowhere to be seen. He had already gone.

Ivan finished writing with a flourish of his pen. "Thank you so much again! I look forward to rehearsals."

He left the room humming happily. Arthur closed his notebook with a sigh of relief.

"Well, that wasn't bad. So…"

He paused and looked around, finally noticing his panelists' desertion.

"Bloody gits! Making me tidy everything up myself!"

* * *

**"I've Never Been in Love Before" from the musical **_**Guys and Dolls **_**belongs to Frank Loesser.  
"Livin' On a Prayer" belongs to Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and Desmond Child.****  
****"You're So Vain" belongs to Carly Simon.**

**A/N: I just thought those songs suited those characters. For Gill, it's meant to be a little bit ironic – Prussia is rather vain, isn't he? xD And I just think that America would be a huge Bon Jovi fan.**

**Hope you enjoyed this, please R&R!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: It took me a while to write this coherently. A conversation with my best friend caused me to write an alternate version of this chapter which is much shorter, and far more ridiculous…which may be lurking around for you at the end in the form of an omake. xD Anyway. Onwards with the callbacks!**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein.**

* * *

Lovina clutched a pillow to her chest and stared blankly at her computer screen. When she had arrived home earlier that day, her pestering relations had been incessant about wanting to know all about her audition – to the point that she had retreated from the armchair to upstairs. Fortunately, she managed to evade any in-depth interrogation throughout dinner, then had barred herself in her bedroom again afterwards. Unfortunately, an unread email was waiting for her.

_Dear Auditionee,_

_Congratulations! You have been invited to the callbacks for WEST SIDE STORY. This is your opportunity to really show off your talent, and maybe nab a role. Please pay attention to the following information carefully:_

_The callbacks will be held in the auditorium directly after class finishes this coming Monday. If you are going to be late, let us know. You will not be required to bring anything apart from your best behavior and comfortable clothes to move around in. The main component of the callbacks is to see your dancing ability. _

_In addition, some of you may be requested to stay behind after the main portion in case we want to have you read a scene or try a song. Be prepared for this. If you are not asked, this does not mean that we are not considering you for the show, it simply means that we already have a good idea of what we want from you._

_Thank you again for auditioning, and see you Monday afternoon!_

_Sincerely,  
Arthur Kirkland, Director_

She reread the entire message in horror. So now they wanted her to prance around and make a right fool of herself – this time in front of dozens of other people too. If that was the case, then forget it. Grandpa Roma and Feliciana could whine all they wanted at her, but Lovina didn't care.

Almost by magic, a new unread email appeared in her inbox.

_Lovina,_

_Don't worry about going to the general callbacks. Just be at the auditorium at 4:15. Don't worry about dancing or anything; just be there. Thanks._

_- Arthur_

Lovina stared at the screen. Though relieved, the timing was just unsettling. Before she could even begin to consider her options, the door to her room burst open.

"Hey, Lovi! I was talking to Ludwig on the phone and I heard Gillian saying she got a callback to the whatsit, the callbacks! Did you get one? If you did it means they like you...!"

Before Lovina could close her browser window, Feliciana had peered over her shoulder and at the screen.

"YAY! You made it!" Lovina winced at the squeal in her ear. Feliciana bounced back up and flopped onto Lovina's bed. "I knew you could! And you'll be so good at this callback, too!"

She froze for a moment, then propped herself up with one arm. "Wait. You'll go, won't you?"

"Do I have to?"

Feliciana stared up at her sister with wide, pleading eyes. "Pleeeaaase? It might be really fun."

Lovina bit her lip. To tell the truth, she _had_ been hoping that she had left a lasting impression upon the panelists – a good one, that was. And although that seemed to be the case, Arthur's second message seemed cryptically daunting. She hated herself for doing so, but Lovina reluctantly admitted that she still wanted to prove her worth.

"Fine. At least I don't have to dance."

Feliciana squealed again. "Yes! I gotta tell Ludwig!" She hopped off the bed.

"You will tell that potato idiot NOTHING!"

Feliciana grinned as she ducked, the pillow flying cleanly over her head.

* * *

On Monday, Lovina approached the auditorium at exactly 4:13 PM. She was only a few feet from the doors when they burst open, a gaggle of boys trotted out. They seemed to be a lively bunch, chattering excitedly, with some still singing snatches of song. One of them caught her staring and flashed her a friendly grin.

"Looking for someone? No drama, mate. They're still doing the Anita's in there!"

So, they were still busy. Lovina had absolutely no intention of walking into the midst of another callback if she didn't have to be there. She could hear the voices within clearly.

"Okay, for you guys, we're going to use the opening bars from 'America'..."

Lovina sat at the door for fifteen more minutes, listening in confusion to the voices within. She could identify Arthur and Roderich, but there seemed to be an entire ocean of others in there as well. Suddenly, Lovina was struck with a thought: what if she was expected to now sing – or dance (she didn't feel too trusting of him at the moment, especially considering that she had just heard him threaten one of the auditionees...though Roderich had been yelling too) – alongside a crowd of competitive girls too? Lovina groaned and rested her head against the wall. She really wasn't _tha_t ambitious...

The doors flew open again, and a passel of girls trailed out, not noticing her crouching to the side. Lovina took a deep breath, stood up, and peered inside.

She recognized the panel immediately. Arthur, Maddie and HK were deep in conversation, holding up photographs and comparing them. Francis sat a distance apart, laughing and jabbering away carelessly to a pale-haired girl and another boy, whose back was towards her. Roderich stood next to his keyboard, looking pained as a girl wearing flower clips in her long, wavy hair tugged at his sleeve urgently.

"Roddy, if you pick her over me, you have a _lot_ to make up for."

The seated girl perked up at this and turned around, smirking widely.

"But it's not just my decision," Roderich protested. "Arthur and Francis have a say too. Don't take it personally, Elizabeta."

"Yeah, Liz," called Francis's friend. "It's not your fault! I'm just more awesome than you!"

Elizabeta rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up, Gill. You don't even know who's got the part yet."

The girls exchanged dangerous stares before Elizabeta eventually marched out of the auditorium. Lovina was petrified. Who would have thought high school musical auditions could be this intense?

Roderich sighed. "Don't look so concerned...they're just _always_ like that..."

Arthur finally looked up and noticed Lovina.

"Oh, good, you're here. We can finally get these bloody auditions over with." He leaned back in his chair, twisting his head around to look at Francis and his friends. "Hey, Antonio!"

The boy finally turned around. He had the greenest eyes Lovina had ever seen, although it could be because of his slightly darker skin. They stared unblinkingly straight at her, and she bit her lip, triyng to look away.

"Since we forgot to give Lovina her read during her first audition, I want you two to do the scene where -"

"Hey Artie, I gotta go really soon," interjected Gillian. "Can I do whatever you want me to first?"

Arthur paused, clearly irritated at having been interrupted. Gillian certainly didn't look as if she was in any particular hurry at all, casually leaning back on the desk she was sitting on, one leg propped up on a chair.

"Fine. Beilschmidt, you're up. Lovina, take this scene. You're Maria, and Gill, you're Anita. Look over it first."

Lovina accepted the slip of paper cautiously. The knot in her stomach tightened as her eyes swiftly flew over the words. How was she expected to act this? In the first place, why did she agree to pretend she could act? Lovina had never seen a live play in her life. And what's more, she could still feel that stare burning into the back of her head. A burn was beginning to grow on her cheeks, too.

There was a sudden nudge at her side. Lovina squawked, and Gillian grinned.

"Don't be nervous. My awesomeness will inspire you!"

Before she could stop herself, Lovina rolled her eyes. Sensing alleviated fear, Arthur shouted, "Begin!"

"Por favor, Anita. Make the neck lower."

Gillian drew herself up and gave Lovina her most haughty look. "Stop it, Maria!"

"One inch. What can one little inch do?"

"Too much!"

"Anita, it is to be a dress for dancing, no longer for kneeling at the altar!"

"With those boys, you can start in dancing and end up kneeling."

Francis snickered at the line.

"Querida, one little inch, uno poca poca -"

"Bernardo made me promise!"

"Ai, Bernardo! One month I have been in this country -" Lovina squinted at the page. "Do I even touch excitement? I sew all day, I sit all night. For what did my fine brother bring me here?"

This Maria character sounded like a whiny little creature. Lovina grimaced. The rest of the scene looked just as sappy.

"To marry Chino."

"When I look at Chino, nothing happens."

"What do you expect to happen?"

"I don't know. Something. What happens when you look at Bernardo?"

Gillian paused, using the moment to take back the spotlight. "It's when I don't look at him that it happens."

Francis and Antonio bayed with laughter, and the corners of Roderich's mouth twitched a little. Arthur looked unconcerned as he waved Gillian off.

"Alright, you're done; go to wherever you want to be to do whatever you want to do."

With another smirk and a wave of her hand, Gillian sauntered out the doors of the auditorium, _still_ not looking as if she was in a rush. Lovina continued to stand awkwardly.

"Okay. Lovina, you're going to read the Dance scene with Antonio. He's Tony, you're Maria."

Green Eyes hopped to his feet and started towards her. Still staring, but now with this ridiculous-looking grin plastered over his face. Lovina glared, a feeling of suspicion beginning to awake at the pit of her stomach. This elicited no reaction, even when HK handed them another paper to read.

What an idiot. Lovina pointedly raised her page directly in front of her face – to block him out, of course, not to hide the fact that she was beginning to blush furiously. Of course not! And not because it was really, really difficult to concentrate on these lines...

But after a few seconds, she couldn't bear it anymore and whirled around.

"What's your problem?" She demanded. "Is there something wrong with me? Or do you need someone to tell you what you're supposed to be doing? I can help you with that. The lines are on that paper in your hand, not my face, you dumbass!"

He finally started. "Oh!" Lovina shrank back. Maybe she shouldn't have called him a dumbass.

"...Hey, you're cute when you blush!"

Lovina gaped. Antonio merely beamed at her, evidently pleased at his answer-which-wasn't-an-answer.

"What?" she squeaked.

"You have a really round face," he continued to observe blithely. "Wow, that's really red! Haha, imagine if your round, red face turned into a tomato?"

Okay. So he wasn't being a sleazebag. He was just loony.

"Don't touch me, you creepy bastard!"

"Are you two finshed yet?" Arthur called. Apparently nobody else in the room had noticed the exchange between them.

"Sure!" Antonio sang out. It was as if he hadn't noticed it either.

He glanced down at his paper – for the very first time – and began.

"You're not thinking I'm someone else?"

His voice had gone from bright and cheerful to soft and earnest in an instant. Startled, Lovina hastily returned to her script.

"I know you are not."

"Or that we have met before?"

"I know we have not."

"I felt...I knew something never before was going to happen, had to happen. But this is..."

Antonio paused and waited for Lovina to interrupt, but she was staring at him in amazement. Where had he gone - the vapid, cheerful boy that had stood there moments ago?

He gently cleared his throat. Flushing red once again, her eyes darted back down to her paper.

"My hands are cold." Before she could do anything, he grabbed her free hand. "Yours too." He was squeezing it now. Lovina had to resist the urge to pull away. "So warm." At that, he had placed her hand on his face.

What.

She could have screamed. Antonio smiled at her, obviously not recognising the universal facial expression for steeling oneself for murder. Lovina seriously considered pinching his stupid cheek until he guided her hand back to her face.

And for some absolutely unfathomable reason, that action made her freeze.

"Yours too," Antonio said happily.

"B-but of course. They are the same," Lovina stammered.

"It's so much to believe - you're not joking me?"

"I...I have not yet learned to joke that way. Now I think I never will."

The lines stopped there. And Antonio didn't remove his hand from her burning cheek.

"Excellent, excellent," Arthur breathed, looking as if he'd won an all expenses paid trip to Disney World. The rest of the panel merely looked relieved, though Francis winked smugly.

Antonio beamed at Lovina again, and before she could react, quickly tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear before stepping back.

She desperately, _desperately_ wanted to punch something in the face.

* * *

**A/N: No cast list this time! But it will be in the next chapter, I solemnly promise. Casting was how I got the ball rolling on this story anyway...I actually have a great deal of fun Hetalia-casting all sorts of plays and musicals, but this was the only one I ever felt a desire to actually fictionalize into writing.**

**Don't forget to R&R! Thank you bunches!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This actually changed very little! =D**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein.  
Kingdom Hearts belongs to Square Enix and Disney Interactive Studios.**

* * *

THWACK.

Lovina threw her entire weight against her locker, grunting as she struggled to close it before anything fell out. Fumbling with the lock, one shoulder still pressed tightly against the door, she didn't notice a pen bouncing along the floor. The ink escapee rolled away, coming to rest a few feet away, against the frayed end of a dirty shoelace. A dirty shoelace that was threaded through a worn-out Converse high-top, which, along with its counterpart, was currently on the feet of one dark haired, green eyed boy.

Lovina was so immersed in her task that she didn't notice until she had finally forced the metal door shut. As she hefted her backpack onto her shoulder, she was startled by a tap on the shoulder, causing her to yelp in surprise.

"Hey!" Antonio scratched the back of his head and held out the pen. "Well, you dropped this!"

She snatched it back, glowering at him. "What do you want now?"

"Nothing." Then he brightened. "Unless you want to ride home with me?"

"I...uh..." Lovina quickly turned around to hide her reddening face. "NO!" She began to march down the hall. This was getting too much – auditions, meeting a slew of crazy people all at once, and now this freaky guy was trying to talk to her. She had all the best luck in the world.

"But, wait-" She quickened her pace. "It's fine, I have a car! Where do you live?"

"Like I'm gonna tell you!" Lovina looked over her shoulder to spit the retort back at him, and noticed that he was following her. And gaining ground. Letting out a panicked squeak, she tore down the hallway at top speed.

Antonio had not expected such a little girl to run so fast.

Crashing through the double doors - just as Arthur had done so only weeks before – Lovina skidded on the trampled snow outside, rolling down the stairs and into the huge snowbank waiting for her at the bottom of the steps. It was not as fluffy as it looked.

"Lovina!"

She was unceremoniously yanked out from the pile by the elbows. Because of this, she landed unsteadily on her feet and slipped again, this time into the arms of a concerned Antonio.

"Aww, Lovi - can I call you that? - You should have been more careful. It's dangerous running around like that in the wintertime. Look, you're covered in snow!"

Though it really didn't feel all that cold, Lovina couldn't move, prefectly frozen as Antonio began to carelessly sweep away the rapidly melting ice from her coat. Still rambling, his hands quickly dusted off her hair, her shoulders, her sides, and her che-

She leapt up as if scalded and shrieked, "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, YOU PERVERTED BASTARD?!"

Antonio stopped, confused. Then he began to blush as the implications dawned upon him.

"OH! Sorry – I didn't mean to – it was just that –"

"I can take care of myself!" She pushed him away. "Leave. Me. ALONE."

"But it's snowi-"

"I don't care!" Lovina snapped up the hood of her coat, and did her best to ignore the icy wetness that slid down her neck.

"Well…" Antonio made one last attempt. "You want a ride home?"

"I never said I wanted one, and I never will!"

Lovina stalked away, and it took a lot of effort for Antonio to not call out again as she nearly slipped on the pavement again. Perhaps the best thing was to heed her wishes and leave her alone. On the other hand, they were going to be in the musical together anyway (Francis had seemed pretty confident about that), so maybe he should just try even harder to establish some sort of relationship. Friendship. Something! She couldn't ignore him forever!

Still, Lovina had seemed genuinely upset. And he'd definitely messed up just now, with the snow…

He continued watching the girl pick her way down the street, not really knowing what else there was to do. As she jumped over a slush puddle, the bright red hood slipped off her head, revealing slightly wavy auburn hair, locks bouncing merrily in time to her steps.

By the time she had disappeared around the corner, Antonio had his mind firmly made up.

* * *

Callbacks lasted much longer than the panelists had expected, with the clock chiming five o'clock by the point they had cleaned up the auditiorium. Arthur stubbornly refused anything other a unanimous decision, so he invited each of them (yes, including Francis) to his house to finalise the cast list. He even promised free dinner, but this was only met with enthusiasm after he also had to promise that he would not be the chef. As he lived quite a distance away, it was nearly six when the five of them trooped up the snow-covered walk.

"Mon dieu, Artie," Francis breathed, staring up at the austere brick walls. "Your home is enormous."

Arthur was busily digging through his backpack for keys. "Well, what did you expect? I have four brothers." He finally got the door open.

They scrambled in, eager to get away from the chilly wind that had been nipping at them the moment they had left the bus. Arthur sighed as they shed their coats and boots.

"My mum's going to have a fit when she sees all the puddles."

"I see where you get your control freak tendencies then," Francis noted.

"Oh _shut up_," the English boy huffed. He pointed at the large staircase in front of them. "After that, turn left and just keep going straight up. And I mean _straight_."

HK nodded and began ascending the steps, the rest following him. The first floor had a spacious parlour, along with two other doors that, Arthur told them, were the master bedroom and a guest bedroom. The second landing held three silent oak doors, each with a sign upon it: "Daryn," "Malcolm," and "Rory."

"Assholes," Arthur muttered irritably, stomping past them

They reached the end of the hallway, where stout rope pull led to a sliding trapdoor. As Arthur grabbed the end, an odd shout was heard from within, causing all of them to jump with surprise.

Arthur groaned. "Oh, for the love of God..." He yanked down the ladder and launched himself up into the attic.

"HAH! TAKE _THAT_!" As Roderich poked his head through the opening, he saw what looked like a smaller version of Arthur dancing excitedly in front of a large television screen, totally immersed in his game.

"Jab, Sora, jab!" Arthur walked over to the kid and plucked the controller out of his hands.

"ARTHUR, YOU JERK! I just lost to Maleficent!"

"Hello Peter," HK called from the trapdoor. The boy turned to find the clump of older teenagers staring at him.

Arthur switched off the console. "We're going to have a very important meeting, so stop mucking around and go do your homework. Downstairs. _Now_."

Peter scowled. "Just you wait. One day I'll be stronger than you and kick your butt!"

His brother merely rolled his eyes and pointed at the exit. The rest of the panelists scattered awkwardly to allow room for the angry preteen to leave. After one last glaring contest between the two, Peter finally ducked out of sight.

Arthur sighed and plopped onto the rug. "Ugh, sorry about that. That's my youngest brother. He's thirteen and a total pain to share a room with."

"But it's awesome," Maddie breathed. Arthur and Peter basically had the entire attic to themselves. Not only was there room for video games, but also bookshelves, a drum kit, an electric guitar, model ships, and an entire miniature railroad track that circled one of the beds.

"He's spoiled rotten," Arthur lamented as they joined him on the floor.

Pulling out notes, photographs and scripts, the diligent panelists started their arduous task. Full attention was required. With the amount of roles in _West Side Story_, it was fairly easy to dole out the chorus and smaller parts. They already knew who they wanted for the two leads, but some of the larger supporting roles were proving difficult to place.

"Damnit, who the hell is actually good enough for Bernardo?" Arthur circled the name angrily.

"What about Vash?" HK pointed at the photo of a serious-looking blond boy. "You seemed pretty impressed by his performance."

Arthur shook his head. "You're right, he's an excellent actor and he'll definitely be in the show. But I want to show off his voice too, and Bernardo doesn't really get any solos."

"What we need is a dancer," Roderich said. "And honestly, there aren't a lot of people who are strong in that department."

Arthur put his pencil down and gritted his teeth. An idea had been forming at the back of his mind since the callbacks, though he had instantly hoped that he wouldn't have to go through with it. Still, his show needed a Bernardo, so he'd cast aside his personal pride if need be.

He turned to Francis, who hadn't been paying attention the entire session, opting instead to fiddle with his smartphone. "Oi. Frog."

Francis didn't move. "Hm. I thought I heard a sound on the wind."

"Bonnefoy." Finally, the handsome teen deigned to look up. "You used to sing with Antonio, right?"

"Sure. Long ago, we were cherubic choirboys, he and I," Francis put away his phone. "What are you implying?"

"I'm only doing this out of desperation," Arthur snapped. He took a deep breath. "Do you mind taking on another job in this production?"

Francis smirked. "One that entails heading a gang of streetwise Puerto Ricans?"

"...Something like that."

"I suppose I'll do it. Only for you. Out of the love in my heart." Francis blew him a kiss.

He was rewarded with a classic Arthur Kirland reaction: an indignant squawk coupled with fruitless flailing – it was a completely immaterial kiss, after all. Roderich sighed heavily for the umpteenth time as Maddie wrote down the last name.

"Done," She announced, placing the list in the middle of their circle. Five pairs of eyes gazed down at the single piece of paper. All their hard work for the past two weeks fit into twenty lines.

**CAST**

Tony: _Antonio Fernandez-Carriedo_  
Maria: _Lovina Vargas_  
Anita: _Gillian Beilschmidt_  
Riff: _Alfred Jones_  
Bernardo: _Francis Bonnefoy_  
Lieutenant Shrank: _Mathias Køhler_  
Officer Krupke: _Ivan Braginski_  
Doc: _Toris Lorinatis_  
Gladhand: _Wang Yao_  
Chino: _Sadiq Adnan_  
Anybodys: _Ngyuen Kim Thi  
_Diesel: _Berwald Oxenstierna_  
Action: _Vash Zwingli_  
Snowboy: _Im Yong Soo  
_A-Rab: _Adam Smith_  
Baby John: _Raivis Galante_  
Rosalia: _Elizabeta Héderváry_  
Consuela: _Clara Janssens_  
Velma: _Natalya Arlovskaya_  
Graziella: _Tina Väinämöinen_

"You do realize that you've just cast a Spaniard as Tony and an Italian as Maria," HK said to Arthur.

"Shut up."

* * *

**A/N: Huzzahs! Finally. Since it's how I came up with the concept of this fic, it pleases me to be able to release the cast list to you all! C: I have a crew and band list too, but those names will have to be revealed over time (so don't be upset if you don't see a certain name you love here). Never forget the crew! They are the glue that holds every production together! **

**Please don't forget to R&R! Thank you so much!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: My author notes for this previously were pretty hilarious xD but I still stand by it – getting reviews will always make me feel stupidly happy! Thanks everybody =D**

**Be prepared for the introduction of a big pile of new characters! Hope it's not that overwhelming.**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein.  
No Exit belongs to Jean-Paul Sartre.  
A Winter's Tale belongs to William Shakespeare.**

* * *

"WE ARE SO AWESOME!"

Ordinarily, a shout that loud and sudden would have caused serious accidents in any other given circumstance, but the population of Hetalia High was accustomed to Gillian Beilschmidt by now. She pumped her fist in the air triumphantly, one foot planted firmly on the lunch table.

"The Bad Friends Trio _all_ get leads? This totally proves our awesome!" She crowed again.

Across from her, Francis continued picking at his salad nonchalantly.

"I told you, both of you were a given." He finally took a bite, looking every bit the sophisticated gourmet that he was. "Especially you, Toni." He prodded his friend with the butt end of the fork.

Antonio blinked at the sudden contact. He turned to stare vacantly at the other two.

"Huh?"

"What is up with you? Quit spacing out," Gillian complained. "Aren't you happy? You're the star!"

Antonio didn't answer. His eyes drifted from Gillian's expectant face, to his almost completely intact egg and potato sandwich, to Francis, then back to some point across the cafeteria.

Francis wiped his mouth before leaning over and squinting in the same direction. All he could see was Gillian's brother, Ludwig, eating his lunch alongside Feliciana. His bright-eyed cousin was halfway out of her seat, chattering excitedly across the table to one of her other friends, that Japanese girl. And beside her, sat Lovina. She did not look happy with the seating arrangements, as she was facing Ludwig. Her face was screwed up in concentration, betraying her belief that maybe if she glared at him long enough, he would spontaneously combust. It wasn't working.

Then, as if she could feel their eyes upon her, her head jerked away and turned to stare back at them. Antonio's expression automatically brightened, and he waved enthusiastically. Lovina scowled and placed her backpack on the table, effectively hiding herself from view.

Antonio didn't seem overly crushed by this silent rejection, and suddenly seemed to notice his meal. As he dug in with gusto, Francis sat back, folding his arms as he digested the scenario.

"So, that's it. What's up between you and Lovina?"

Antonio's speech was slightly hindered from his full mouth. "Huh? Oh! Nothing. I tried getting to know her on Monday but she wasn't very nice about it..."

"I say get used to it. She's never been nice to me."

"Wait, how long have you known her?"

"Um, let's see." Francis did some quick math. "Sixteen years."

"_Sixteen years?_"

"Yeah, because I've been around for eighteen, and she's younger than I am."

"That means..." One could almost see the gears clicking into place as the truth dawned upon Antonio's face. "You're related!"

"Yep!"

"Why didn't you tell me this before? You could have introduced me!"

"I never knew you were interested."

"I didn't either."

"Then how would I have known?" Francis frowned, and in that moment you could see the family resemblance.

Gillian, having plopped back into her seat after the vain attempt for some attention, rolled her eyes. Reaching across the table and swiping Francis's fruit tart, she waved her hand between their faces.

"Hello? Have we stopped talking about how we're all really important main characters in the show?" She took a big bite. "I mean, it's not a far off subject! She's Maria!"

Francis shrugged airily. "Oh, well. She doesn't have a choice but to spend time with you, anyway. Star crossed lovers, after all."

Gillian coughed violently, almost choking on a strawberry. "Ugh, you're going to have to kiss her!"

At those words, a new expression rolled across Antonio's face, like wiping a slate clean. Francis sighed. "Really, Gill? How immature can you get?"

"But..." Antonio peered at the bright pink backpack that had slid down and was now drooping over the table. The top of Lovina's head could now be seen, bobbing up and down as she talked with the other people at her lunch table. "What if she won't kiss me?"

"No worries. Artie will make her do it. The guy's a directing diva. Remember last year?"

Francis snickered. "Now that was fun."

"Yeah! I still think that _No Exit, Pursued By a Bear _is an awesome idea," Gillian's eyes gleamed, recalling the prank. "Existentialism meets crazy furry animals, with a side helping of obscure Shakespeare jokes!" She paused. "Maybe actually going onstage in a bear costume was what really got him angry."

"You think? He already didn't like you before then."

"What are you talking about? Everybody loves me!"

* * *

The next afternoon, Arthur was waiting in the classroom he had booked, impatiently tapping his pen on the stack of scripts next to him. When he meant directly after class, he meant directly after class. Apparently, that definition didn't apply to anyone else.

The sounds of students gossiping and lockers slamming could be heard from beyond the open doorway. Before Arthur could shoot another death glare at the clock, a small stampede of boots and sneakers slapping the floor suddenly rumbled up, and a cluster of very different people walked in.

Vash Zwingli, with his chin-length hair and sharp eyes, was in the lead. He immediately took the first available chair, causing the girls behind him to double their steps and go around him. Elizabeta seemed like she was in a much better mood, chattering gaily with Clara, whose hair ribbon was fixed jauntily around her short blonde hair. Berwald and Tina were right on their heels. They also sat together, and Arthur felt like he could gag on the sickeningly sweetheart vibe emanating from them – except that Berwald's stern expression somehow stopped him from doing so.

A minute later, HK arrived with his brother, Yao. The younger sibling took the space next to Arthur, but the older headed towards one in the corner. But before he could even pull the chair out, two arms clad in blue flannel sleeves much too long for them, shot out from under his armpits and yanked him backwards into a tight embrace.

"YAO! You made it!"

The other occupants' heads all turned towards Yao, who grumbled in annoyance.

"Let go of me, Yong Soo."

"Okay!" The Korean boy released him, and Yao stumbled to the side, nearly knocking the desk over.

"Hey, let's sit together!"

"Let's _not_."

"Aww..."

At that moment, the door of the classroom flew open and everybody blanched. Two tall shadows loomed inwards. Ivan approached Yao, not noticing the great chagrin etched upon his face.

"Oh, is this seat taken?" Ivan's scarf brushed Yong Soo's leg as he gestured to the chair next to Yao's. "It would be so nice to be near you."

The girl behind him peered out from the side to bore her eyes into what Yao felt was his soul. He nervously tried to recover.

"Ah...I think Yong Soo already picked it."

Ivan's face fell. "Oh, I see." Then he smiled again. "That's alright, if I sit across from you, it would be easier to talk anyway!"

Yao sighed and flopped into his seat as Ivan glided past him to the other side. He winced as Natalya inadvertently shoved his chair as she passed, the edge of the desk cutting into his chest. Yong Soo, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind her brusqueness and cheerfully plunked himself down into his seat. But before he could attack Yao with more jabber, he was distracted by the person who had appeared on his other side.

"Adam! What happened to your nose?"

The other boy flashed him a huge smile and ruefully ran his fingers through his already messy hair. "New pup at home. I was walking him the other day when he got distracted and ran off. Tripped and fell flat on my face trying to get him back."

"Really? I didn't know you had a dog! You should totally let me help you out! Koreans are excellent dog walkers!"

"Oh, so they are, now? Anyway, I think I still prefer snakes. Much better temperaments."

In the midst of all this, Lovina had finally arrived and was scanning the area for potential green-eyed weirdos. There was Arthur, of course, but that she couldn't do anything about. Deciding that the coast was clear, she turned to her right – and there he was. Antonio was delighted at his perfect timing.

"Hey, Lovina! Why don't we sit together?"

"No," she said bluntly.

Francis piped up from behind him. "Come on, Lovi, he's just being nice."

"Creepy is more like it."

Without warning, Gillian appeared out of nowhere and shoved Lovina into Antonio's arms. "Okay lovers, see ya later. Francis and me can give you some privacy."

Antonio happily dragged the unimpressed girl away. Gillian watched them in satisfaction before turning around to see Francis already next to Arthur, his gestures indicating more teasing. The empty seat next to him happened to be directly across from a Hungarian with long brown hair. The girls noticed each other at the same time, and automatically engaged in a fresh round of bickering.

Walking to the other side of the room wasn't enough to shake this Antonio guy off. He was being so – ugh – _nice_ too, pulling out a chair for her, placing her backpack in the empty one next to her. And smiling, always smiling and looking so stupidly happy. Lovina was at a complete loss at what ever could be benefiting him by doing this. The problem was that he was _not_ picking up any the signals indicating that she just wanted to be left alone.

"So, Lovi -"

"I never said you were allowed to call me that!"

"But Francis does."

"And he's a dead man."

"Have you done theatre before? I haven't, but I'm really excited. You?"

"Ecstatic."

"Yeah, me too."

Sarcasm had never been one of Antonio's strongest points.

By then, the place was filled with talking teenagers, so nobody noticed Maddie quietly making her way around the room. She slipped into the seat next to Gillian, who was still gloating over her "win" over Elizabeta, who was trying hard not to raise her voice any louder. Ignoring the squabble, Maddie hadn't been in the chair for ten seconds when a boy nonchalantly walked over and nearly flattened her as he tried to sit down.

"Hey!" she cried. Startled, the offender glanced down in mild surprise.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there," he said. Moving a seat over, he paused and turned around to examine her face. "Wait, who are you? Do you even go to this school?"

"Of course she does. That's Maddie Williams," a calm, low voice snaked out from the loud clamour around them. An olive skinned boy with tousled, curly hair walked up to them lazily. The first boy shot him a dark look.

"What the hell are you doing here, Heracles? Your name wasn't on the cast list."

"I know, Sadiq. I'm the assistant stage manager," Heracles replied. He pointed at Maddie. "And she's the main stage manager, which is why I know her." He then sat down beside Sadiq.

"Sit somewhere else, would ya?"

"I can't. Why else would I pick one next to you?"

Probably sensing that the increasing chaos had the potential to erupt into a full-scale war, Arthur finally stood up and called for order.

"Okay, everyone, let's get started. Thanks for being here. I really appreciate that you're willingly using your free time for it, and it's because of this that I need to get things straightened out.

"By coming here today, you're telling me that you're making a commitment to this production. You might enjoy singing, dancing, acting, or just getting attention, but you must be ready to work. Rehearsals aren't for hanging out with friends and goofing about. When we get closer to opening night, don't be surprised if we have to be here for long periods of time - you may have to come in on weekends as well. Be ready to sacrifice your free time!

"I also expect you all to show utmost respect to everybody else in the cast and crew, and nothing less. We do welcome ideas, but don't go around telling people off - just make sure to tell me, HK, Roderich, or Maddie. So if you can't deal with this, I suggest that you leave before the real rehearsals begin."

He paused to eye them all in a lordly manner, almost as a threat.

"That being said, I'm sure we'll all have a great time on this show. Today is the read through. I should hope that the title is self-explanatory, but for those who still don't know, we'll be reading through the entire script together. Everybody reads their own lines. Maddie will read the stage directions."

Some students craned their necks to peer at the girl. A few, confused, looked in the wrong direction and missed her completely.

"When we get to a part that involves music, we'll play it from the cast recording. Roderich couldn't be here today, so please no questions about that kind of stuff yet. And some time this weekend, we'll be having a movie night -"

All of a sudden, the door flew open again, interrupting Arthur in his lecture. Alfred ran inside, cowlick bouncing.

He waved at them cheerfully. "I didn't know where we were supposed to be, sorry I'm late!"

Arthur made an irritated noise in his throat. "Perhaps if you had taken the time to double check the email I sent out, you would have known."

Alfred shrugged. The only free seat was right next to Lovina, the same one where Antonio had deposited her backpack. Alfred confidently strolled up to it.

"Whose is this?" He lifted it with one hand and looked at her. "Anyone sitting here?"

She shook her head and he dumped it on the floor, happily settling into the chair. Lovina frowned, dragging her bag closer to her. Pulling away from Alfred consequently drew her closer to Antonio – who, naturally, didn't mind. But even a brush of his arm startled her enough to let out a surprised yelp, and Lovina's chair tipped over, triggering a terrific crash to the floor.

Everybody stared. Alfred had not even finished settling into his seat, his hand still on the back of his chair. Antonio sprang to her side.

"Are you hurt? Are you okay? Do you need -"

"I'm fine! Don't need anything!"

Lovina scrambled to her feet. Antonio righted the chair and looked like he was going to move closer until she glared at him. If only the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

"Er...everything alright?" Arthur asked.

"Yes..." Lovina ducked her head. She was determined not to look to her left

"...Okay," Arthur replied uncertainly. He glanced at the clock and continued. "Well, we'll pass the scripts out - don't lose them, or you'll be paying me for the extra copies! The beginning is mostly stage directions since the show begins with a dance number. Maddie will read them first, then I'll play the song. Mathias, you have the first lines."

A boy with wild, light hair grinned and nodded, pleased.

Packets of paper shuffled around the room. As soon as everybody received one, Maddie cleared her throat and began.

_ACT I, Scene one._

_5 PM. The street. _

_The opening is musical: half-danced, half-mimed, with occasional phrases of dialogue. It is primarily a condensation of the growing rivalry between two teenage gangs, the Jets and the Sharks..._

**A/N: Well, that was exhausting. And now that I'm back to editing this, I am beginning to feel like all my other fics also need revamps...oh well, we'll see!**

**Again, don't forget to R&R! Thanks for the umpteenth time and counting!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: The last time I posted this chapter, the author notes were a confession that I didn't like tomatoes. Funny because now, I love tomatoes! And no, Hetalia actually was not a factor in this (a deliberate tech crew infestation of the local pizza place after strike at 2am was far more influential.)**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein.**

* * *

On Friday afternoon, just shortly after 3 o' clock, Hetalia High was silent and still. Roderich thanked whatever high power there was for this as he pushed open the heavy door leading to the music room. Arthur had managed to secure it for their first rehearsal. Walking over to the baby grand in the corner, he shrugged off his book bag and lifted the lid, running his fingers across the solid wooden keys. The puny electric keyboard they had been using for auditions and callbacks felt flimsy in comparison.

A bell tinkled and he turned around. A plump, elderly man was walking towards him from the adjacent office, smiling.

"Hello there, Roderich!"

"Hi, Mr. Weiss," he replied. "Thanks for letting us use your room."

"Not at all, son. I'm looking forward to the show this April. _West Side Story _is a classic."

"For sure. But..." Roderich pulled a folder heavy with sheet music from his bag. "Let's just say there's a reason for scheduling a music rehearsal first."

The music teacher chuckled as he examined the score. "Yes, Lenny Bernstein did go all out on this one. Let me know when you're auditioning the band, alright? I can recommend a few people."

"That would be great. Thanks."

"No problem. Have a good rehearsal! I'll be in my office if you need any help."

Mr. Weiss returned to the small room and Roderich sat down at the piano. Selecting one of the songs, he scrutinised it carefully before picking the notes out. He hadn't gotten past the first few bars before his sight was suddenly obstructed by two hands.

"Guess who!"

"Hey, Elizabeta," he replied, smiling.

She returned his greeting with a playful kiss and rested her cheek against his head. For all her ferocity, her irritation at him had quickly abated, especially since it really hadn't been his fault. And when it came down to it, she loved to hear him play. Even when they were young, Elizabeta had been his biggest and most loyal fan.

They waited for the rest of the cast to arrive. Roderich continued to play even as the bell rang and people began to trickle inside, coming in groups of two or three. The risers gradually filled up until everybody who was supposed to attend were seated, chatting to one another or listening to the music. Just as Alfred Jones waltzed in, barely making it past the scheduled time of 3:20, Roderich finished the song and nodded to Elizabeta to join them.

"Hi, everyone. Welcome to the first music rehearsal for _West Side Story_. I think you all know me..." He waved his hand awkwardly. "Roderich. The music director. That means I help you with learning the songs, and I'll be conducting the band during the show too."

Gillian and Francis bent their heads together in a corner, then lifted them to snicker at him. Roderich rolled his eyes. He had no time for their shenanigans today.

"This is a pretty intense score so let's dive in headfirst. Today, we're going to learn the 'Tonight Quintet.' It's arguably the most difficult piece in the entire show, but when done correctly it sounds amazing. How many of you can read music?"

Only a little over half of the students assembled raised their hands. Roderich sighed. It was as expected.

"Okay, well, it's fairly simple. When the notes on the staff go up, you sing higher. When they go down, you sing lower. Sit next to somebody who can read music. Listening to me and the CD will help too."

He picked up the stack of sheet music and started to pass them around. Gillian called out from her place in the back row. "'Scuse me, Roddybutts! I has a question!"

Years of practice had taught him to ignore her bait. "Please raise your hand if you wish to say something."

"Yes, Mr. Edelstein." She proceeded to wave her left arm wildly in the air, nearly smacking Adam across the face."Do I get a solo in this?"

"You do, in fact."

"AWESOME!"

Elizabeta was flipping through the pages of her packet. "Wait, all the other girls don't seem to be in this song."

"Arthur and I decided to have the girls sing along with their respective gangs during the counterpoint at the end," Roderich explained. "You'll see. Well, if we actually get to that part."

Clara looked disgruntled. "If? Then is there any point for being here?"

"Well, with some luck we'll have practiced four songs by the end of this session. That's why we have the music room until 6. I really don't want to stay until then, but we will if we have to." An idea dawned upon him. "Maybe we can do sectionals."

He turned to Lovina, who was sitting as inconspicuously as she could at the end of a row. "Yeah. You and Antonio can rehearse a song while I go through one of the bigger gang numbers later. How's that?"

She stared at him in astonishment. "What?"

"Great!" chirped a voice from the back. Antonio leaned against the wall nonchalantly, ever cheerful and ever helpful. Lovina narrowed her eyes at him.

All of the other students were beginning to lose focus now that they had their music, breaking out into conversation as they discovered which songs they would be performing. Roderich knocked on the piano to get their attention.

"Warm ups," he commanded.

After some scales, drills, and breathing exercises, Roderich warned them not to sit down just yet.

"I want people to stand in their different groups. Don't worry about vocal range because each part is in unison anyway. Jets on my right, Sharks on my left. Gill, Antonio, Lovina, you guys can be...in the middle. Just wait for a while. Oh, the other girls wait too."

He placed Lovina between Gillian and Antonio. It was a most unsatisfactory position for her. Thankfully, Roderich demanded silence from all other parties as he taught the boys the melody, otherwise Antonio would have gabbed one ear off, and Gillian would have caused great pain to the other one too.

"Okay. I hope everyone else was listening, because that's basically it. All I want is to run through this song so you can get the feel of it. As I said, it's hard, which is why we're working on it first. Practice at home. Gillian, let's hear you sight read."

"Finally!"

It took Roderich over half an hour to teach the bare bones of the song, patiently going over ever note and lyric, straightening out confusions over rhythm and pitch. The counterpoint at the end was more hectic than epic at the moment, but that would come in time. After all, they had just learned it.

"Good work, everybody. Let's try the whole thing just once. If you mess up, don't worry about it. You've only known it for forty-five minutes anyway. And I'll play along with you." He nodded towards the Jets. "Ready? Listen for the intro."

_The Jets are gonna have their day, tonight._

_The Sharks are gonna have their way, tonight._

_The Puerto Ricans grumble, fair fight.  
But if they start a rumble, we'll rumble them right..._

The boys' part went on for over a minute, stumbling and bumbling, but still managing to limp through with Roderich's help. Gillian's turn was right after theirs.

_Anita's gonna get her kicks, tonight.  
We'll have our private little mix, tonight.  
He'll walk in hot and tired, so what?  
Don't matter if he's tired, as long as he's hot...  
Tonight!_

She spared no expense in getting into character – flirty, fluttering eyelashes, planting her foot onto the riser above her and tracing her thigh in a provocative manner. Roderich couldn't help but to snort derisively. If anyone could be provocative in cargo pants, it would not be Gillian Beilschmidt.

He was happy to hear Antonio come in with his well-tuned tenor. The senior was standing casually in the centre of the room, one hand in his pocket and the other holding his folded sheet music.

_Tonight, tonight, won't be just any night.  
Tonight there will be no morning star!  
Tonight, tonight, I'll see my love tonight,  
And for us, stars will stop where they are.  
Today, the minutes seemed like hours, the hours go so slowly, and still the sky is light...  
Oh moon, grow bright, and make this endless day endless night!_

Antonio was easily one of the best singers in the room. There had been no slip ups or wrong notes, only smooth melody filling the entire room. He probably had been listening to the soundtrack at home. And the way he made it sound so effortless and sincere had drawn giggles from girls across the room, not to mention a reluctant sneaking glance from the one standing next to him.

Alfred couldn't sound any more different, even if he also seemed perfectly in character.

_We're counting on you to be there, tonight.  
When Diesel wins it fair and square, tonight.  
That Puerto Rican punk'll go down, and when he's hollered uncle, we'll tear up the town!_

On the last note, Roderich looked up and nodded at Lovina. She joined in, her gently rising soprano now in the background.

_Tonight, tonight, won't be just any night.  
Tonight there will be no morning star!  
Tonight, tonight, I'll see my love tonight,  
And for us, stars will stop where they are..._

By this point, all the other parts were purposefully clashing upon one another – Sharks and Jets droning on like a stubborn chant, while Gillian belted as loud as she could and Antonio obliviously sang along. Roderich spared a peek into the risers to see Lovina's face twisted into a grimace. He could only see her mouth moving, her voice completely drowned out by the cacophony.

_Today, the minutes seemed like hours, the hours go so slowly, and still the sky is light...  
Oh moon, grow bright, and make this endless day endless night!_

_We're gonna rock it, tonight!_

There was a brief moment of respite when they all took in a deep breath for the big finish.

_TOOOONIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!_

The silence that filled the room right afterwards surprised them all.

"Not bad for our first try," Roderich said a bit unconvincingly.

"Not bad? That was a train wreck!"

"Fine, be a pessimist if you want. It's only the first rehearsal. Just go home and practice." He stood up and began to sort the stack of sheet music on the end of the piano. "Let's move on and do some sectionals. We already spent an hour on this. Jet girls and Shark boys, you can leave now."

A number of people left - some rather speedily - to receive the weekend with open arms. Roderich handed Antonio two new songs.

"I'm going to stay here and work with the others on the gang songs. The song's pretty easy, no harmonies until the end bit. You two have considerable musical prowess, so let's see what you can accomplish in...well, it's a little past 4:30 now, so say...forty minutes? Use the practice room down the hall, then come back at 5:15 or so and we'll have you guys perform it."

He turned back to the rest of the group without waiting for an answer. Lovina eyed Antonio suspiciously as he powered up his blinding smile up another notch.

"Hey, don't look so worried! I know this song. We'll do great. You're a really good singer."

"Don't butter me up, I'm not a potato," she snapped, snatching up one of the packets.

He laughed as if she had told the greatest joke he had ever heard and held the door open. Lovina marched through it, feeling a bit embarrassed, but also, for some reason, pleased.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, so I did change the action a little bit. I made their first rendition of "Tonight Quintet" appallingly bad instead of surprisingly good. It only makes sense as it's their first rehearsal! And I find it way more hilarious.**

**The recording I use when writing this story is the 1957 Original Broadway Cast Recording with Larry Kert and Carol Lawrence as the leads, if anybody would like to know. Thanks for all the reviews, I always love to read your comments!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein.**

* * *

When she arrived to the practice room, Lovina threw the door open and stalked inside, just to discover after six strides that it was incredibly small. She found her nose inches away from the plastered wall as Antonio closed the door. Turning around, she realised the only pieces of furniture were an upright piano, its bench, and a spindly music stand. Nigh-claustrophobic quarters with a boy that made her feel nauseous – things were shaping up rather nicely, weren't they?

They stood facing each other awkwardly, hearing very muffled singing from beyond the walls. Antonio finally took the initiative, holding up his music.

"Guess we should look at this?"

Lovina grunted, which he took as an affirmative. He lifted the cover of the keyboard and bent over to pull out the bench beneath it. Lovina watched him idly until she suddenly wished she hadn't: Antonio's backside in those jeans was an image she wasn't likely to forget in a _long_ time. Horrified, she squeezed her eyes shut, begging herself to just focus, damnit!

And that's how Antonio found her, reddening face puffed up in concentration and flapping the air about her frantically. It was so comical, he just had to laugh.

"What are you doing?"

Lovina's eyes snapped open. "What? Oh, shut up!"

She strode over and yanked the music out of his hands. Antonio didn't even try to stop her, doubling over and holding onto the piano to keep his balance. Lovina plopped down on the bench and spread out the music before looking over at him disdainfully.

"Are you going to waste all of the time?" she demanded. He obediently sat down next to her, still choking on a few errant chuckles.

"That was one of the most adorable things I have ever seen!"

She fixed him with her iciest glare, but he barely even noticed. He tilted his head to the side, grinning lazily again, and Lovina noticed his hair. It was just the right length, so that the curls lightly brushed against his collar. Once more, she mentally pinched herself. Why was everything so distracting today? She wished there had been another chair in the room.

Antonio was finally examining the sheet music. "Ahh…it's been a while since I've played the piano."

"Then stop wasting time and let me do it!" She shoved him even though he hadn't done anything. His shirt was soft and thin, and her shove caused the sleeve to ride up his bicep which was, wow, really well defined, there...

Antonio was slightly alarmed when Lovina gritted her teeth and began pounding out the notes.

"Hey, what's wro-"

"FOCUS," she snarled. To whom she was actually speaking to is anybody's guess.

* * *

When Alfred had told his coach that he had decided to forgo basketball for one year, there was a brief, terrifying moment when he thought the man was going to puff up to twice his size and explode into a thousand small pieces. Instead, Coach Breyer asked why.

"They're doing a musical thing," Alfred explained.

Coach Breyer was quick to point out that Alfred didn't actually know whether he was even going to get a part.

"Yeah, but I really wanna do it. I can practice with everyone and stuff up 'til Christmas, but after that they've got the rehearsals and auditions and stuff."

Now here in the music room, he could hardly believe his luck. To be completely honest, Alfred had been ready to accept the fact that Arthur was going to try to keep him from being involved at any cost. Instead, he had been given one of the best characters. Riff. The _leader_ of the Jets. He even had his own song (more like half of one) about…well, being a Jet. There was also an exciting scene later in which Riff would die a very dramatic, very _heroic_ death defending the name of his gang and best friend. Alfred, to put it mildly, was thrilled.

Roderich was also feeling a better than before since Alfred learned quickly. Then again, 'The Jet Song' was incredibly easy, requiring no harmonies at all. The main thing was getting a few of the other Jets to project. Some of them seemed a little shy of making themselves heard. Roderich had almost no interest in acting, but he'd pull the analytical stuff out of his pocket if it was going to help.

"Raivis, consider your character. What reasons would Baby John have, joining the Jets?"

"Um."

"Think about the lyrics. Being a Jet means confidence, security, always being surrounded by family. Especially in this song, he should be really proud of being a Jet. So go ahead and sing out."

"Oh...okay."

"Yeah, the Jets are the greatest!" Alfred jumped right into character again. It was difficult to tell whether he was doing it purposefully or not. "Imagine if you were a Jet. That means you could fly. Can sharks fly? No!"

"But they have hundreds of teeth and are one of the ocean's most feared creatures," Berwald pointed out.

"Well, jets have bombs!"

"Anyway!" Roderich was not going to let this degenerate into a comparison of literal jets and sharks. "Anyway, this note can go for everyone else. Go ahead and sing out. Don't worry about sounding too nasal or as if you're shouting, because that's basically the kind of character you all are - loud, confident and full of life. I want to hear some punch behind the words."

Most of the boys didn't really need this note, only the few that were holding back. Suddenly, Gillian was at his shoulder.

"Hey Rodbutt, how long do I have to listen to this? When do I sing my solo?"

Alfred stood up a little taller. "Excuse me, but right now, it's _my_ solo."

"Whatever man, I have way more of them than you! Three! Count 'em and weep."

"Uh, guys?" Raivis piped up timidly. "Aren't Tony and Maria the lead roles?"

His comment was ignored and drowned out as everybody began to talk all at once.

"But as a whole, though. The Jets have way more stage time than the Sharks!"

"Okay, seriously you guys. Let's not make this a debate on the first day. Gillian, shouldn't you be doing homework or something?"

Finally, Vash got up on his chair.

"SHUT UP!"

Everybody froze. Vash didn't get angry too often, but when he did, it was best to be clear of his way. He surveyed them with a steely glare, then gave Roderich a curt nod before sitting down again.

"Erm…thank you." He turned to Gillian, who was grinning impishly. "Back to your seat, Gill."

She turned on her heel and clambered up the risers, where the rest of the Shark girls were patiently waiting for their turn. For all the chaos caused, she still seemed rather pleased with herself. "By the way, Al, yelling louder doesn't make your argument any more valid."

He squawked in protest. "Look who's talking!"

"This is my normal volume!"

"We know," the room chorused in unison.

Roderich rubbed his temple. He was going to chew Arthur out for abandoning him with a squabbly, easily distracted lot in the first rehearsal alone. "Could we just…sing the song one more time? Then the boys can go."

_When you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the way,  
From your first cigarette to your last dyin' day!  
When you're a Jet, if the spit hits the fan,  
You got brothers around, you're a family man!_

_You're never alone. You're never disconnected.  
You're home with your own. When company's expected,  
You're well protected!_

_Then you are set with a capital J  
Which you'll never forget 'til they cart you away!  
When you're a Jet, you stay a Jeeeeeeeeet!_

* * *

The moment the second hand on Antonio's watch ticked precisely at 5:15 PM, Lovina had declared that their little one-on-one practice was over. She had even stopped mid-word and nearly shut the keyboard cover down on Antonio's fingers. It had been a good sectional, in his opinion. Over forty minutes of solid note plunking, and it was such a short song that he had practically memorised it too. One of the most pleasant things was that Lovina wasn't _just_ pretty .She actually did have a very nice voice. The incredible sweetness of her singing contrasted with her furrowed brow, and Antonio could barely keep from watching and smiling at the picture.

But for his own sake, he did the best that he could.

Over forty minutes in a confined space also taught him a lot of details. Lovina's hair went just past her shoulders and ended in loose waves, but there was a small tight curl that stuck out just above her forehead. It looked like she had tried to hide it by wearing a headband, but still it bounced around every time she moved. Right now, it was in a perpetual state of wobble as they walked down the hallway together.

As they approached the main music room, they could hear Roderich yelling something over the sounds of chairs scuffing the floor and the chatter of happy teenagers. The commotion grew louder as Lovina reached for the door handle.

"…should have sent an email with the directions by now. If not, then tonight!"

Antonio pulled Lovina back as a small stampede of teenage boys raced past them. It had been instinctual, but she did not seem to appreciate the gesture.

"Don't pull on my sweater, you'll stretch the material with those freakishly ripped arms of yours."

Wait, ripped? Antonio couldn't tell if this was a compliment or not. He hoped it was a compliment.

"Sorry."

"Whatever." She turned away and folded her arms.

Roderich finally noticed them.

"Oh, great. Sorry girls, but would it be alright if I let these two go first? It won't take too long, so we won't waste that much time."

"Won't waste time - what do you think we've been doing for the past hour?" Gillian demanded.

"Uh, doing your homework?"

"I didn't have any."

"That's not my fault."

"Ugh, I just want to go home."

The last remark had been muttered very quietly. Antonio looked at Lovina's unhappy face and spoke up on her behalf. "Uh, Roderich? Can we hurry up a bit?"

"Of course, if a certain somebody would just keep quiet." Roderich frowned sniffily at Gillian. She merely smirked at her conquest and gave Antonio a thumbs up before settling on the bottom riser to listen.

_Make of our hands, one hand.  
Make of our hearts, one heart.  
Make of our vows, one last vow.  
Only death will part us now._

_Make of our lives, one life.  
Day after day, one life._

_Now it begins, now we start:_  
_One hand, one heart._  
_Even death won't part us now._

_Make of our lives, one life.  
Day after day, one life.  
Now it begins, now we start:  
One hand, one heart._

The two parts split into harmony in the last line.

_Even death won't part us now._

Before the last note had even ended, there was raucous applause from the Shark girls. Gillian had a particularly big smile plastered over her face.

"At least we have you two dorks! Now I won't have to carry this entire musical all by my awesome self."

Lovina ignored her. "We're done now, right?" Roderich nodded. "Good!"

As she bolted from the room, he called out, "Don't forget movie night at Francis's place!"

She was already gone, the door creaking on its hinges. Antonio shrugged and waved back at them all as he started after her.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure she knows!" He ran out into the hallway, where they could hear him calling. "Lovi, Lovina! Need a ride for tomorrow?"

* * *

Roderich was actually making longing looks at the clock by now. It was hard to believe that he hadn't left this room for nearly three hours, but his ringing eardrums were ample proof. He also found it hard to believe that he was still alive after the last three quarters of an hour, since it was basically Elizabeta and Gillian arguing. The entire time.

In _song_, nonetheless.

"Okay, everyone." He rapped his knuckles on the side of the piano to get their attention again. "Once more from the top, and then we can all go. Please?"

Gillian beamed with pride. "Yeah! I love this song!"

He turned to Elizabeta. She grimaced at him, indicating that yes, she was also up to _there_ with the antics of their "childhood friend". But the thing was that Roderich couldn't actually do anything about it. If something grabbed Gillian's interest, she actually became quite devoted to it. What made him even more annoyed that it was working in his favour, something he never thought could actually happen. It was a conflicting emotion.

He sighed and started clapping out the opening rhythm. Elizabeta stood at the piano and started the song.

_Puerto Rico, you lovely island, island of tropical breezes!  
Always the pinapples growing, always the coffee blossoms blowing!_

Gillian almost came in too early, cutting Elizabeta off with her throaty belt.

_Puerto Rico, you ugly island, island of tropic diseases!  
Always the hurricanes blowing, always the population growing!_

"Si, Anita!" cried out all the other girls.

_And the money owing!  
And the babies crying.  
And the bullets flying..._

Gillian folded her arms in triumph, glancing back at both Elizabeta and Roderich's exasperated faces. Her acting was actually great for a first run, but it wasn't due to any special talent. Gillian was a garrulous attention seeker _all_ the time.

_I like the island Manhattan!_

"I know you do!" Clara yelled.

_Smoke on your pipe, and put THAT in!_

_I like to be in America.  
OK by me in America!  
Everything's free in America,_

_For a small fee in America_, Elizabeta shot back.

The two of them continued their challenge of one-ups as the song progressed. Roderich's fingers felt tired, and the bickering was driving him crazy. The thing that was most ridiculous is that Elizabeta and Gillian had found a way to make their fighting legitimate. Everyone knew Gillian and Elizabeta didn't need to practice having a fight. Silently, he cursed and congratulated Arthur for casting the two roles so perfectly. At least the song was coming to an end.

Elizabeta tossed her long, wavy brown tresses back over her shoulder.

_When I will go back to San Juan..._

Gillian imitated the move with her own pale, straight hair.

_When will you shut up and get gone?_

_Everyone there will give big cheer!_

_Everyone there will have moved here._

The rest of the girls laughed. Gillian preened whilst Elizabeta leaned on the piano, eyeing her with dislike. Roderich raised his arm for quiet before one of them could start up again. The only good thing about this entire practice was the confirmation that the scene would always be performed flawlessly, character-wise.

"Okay, that's fine. Great job, everyone. See you tomorrow for movie night."

"Got it, Butt-erich!" Gillian sang, bounding out the door. The rest of the girls trickled out slowly, save for Elizabeta. She was still leaning against the piano.

She tilted her head back and squinted at the clock. "Six PM exactly!"

Roderich stood up wearily and started packing up the piano. Elizabeta helped him straighten up the chairs and put away the stray papers of sheet music lying around – it was only the first rehearsal, but people were already leaving things behind. Then finally, after giving Mr. Weiss a half-hearted wave through his office window, they walked out of the music room.

"Tomorrow, I am going to sleep until noon," Roderich told Elizabeta.

She nodded sympathetically. "You deserve it."

* * *

**A/N: I am on an editing roll! This is what you get when you get writer's blocked on your Camp NaNoWriMo story. Go back to trusty ol' fanfic.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: So I just sat down and rewatched the actual **_**West Side Story**_**, and this chapter pretty much wrote itself.**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein.  
The West Side Story film belongs to Mirisch Pictures and United Artists.**

* * *

Francis and Aunt Monica lived in an apartment building downtown, which meant taking the subway. Lovina descended down the steps cautiously, trying to avoid dirty puddles of slush. The day before, Antonio had offered to drive her there, but she'd rather brave the underground than to give in to such temptation.

...Torture. Not temptation. Torture.

The trip was short, but the seconds dragged on. Ads on the platform were covered in graffiti, the train creaked with a shaky uncertainty, and she was completely cut off from the world thanks to no phone reception. Lovina swayed along with the train and nervously counted off each station under the fluorescent lights.

When the doors pinged open at the right stop, she practically ran through the turnstiles and up the stairs. Once back on ground level, finding her way to the right building was easy – it wasn't her first time going there after all. Lovina's boots made a small thumping noise as well as a few damp spots on the lobby carpet as she approached the elevator. The stoic security guard at the front desk gave her a scrutinising stare, one that was countered by an equally fierce frown. She was jabbing irritably at the close button when an all-too familiar voice called out from the other side.

"Hey! Wait up! Awesome people comin' through!"

She automatically pressed it harder. As the doors slid towards one another, a black and silver figure suddenly materialized just on the other side. Lovina jumped into a corner, yelping when Gillian wedged a salt-stained combat boot tip in the narrow gap, then shoved the metal doors aside.

"Heeey! 'Tonio, it's your girl!"

Sure enough, Antonio finally ambled around the corner, swinging his car keys from one hand.

"Oh! Hi, Lovina."

Lovina would not grace them with a greeting. "I am not his girl."

"Fine, in that case - hey Lovi," Gillian leaned against a mirrored corner, her long hair fluffing up over her shoulder. "I brought you your man."

Antonio coughed awkwardly and Lovina glowered as the elevator ascended. "Don't call me Lovi."

"But isn't that what Feli calls you all the time?"

"How the hell do you know Feli?"

"Uh, 'cause she follows Ludwig home all the time?"

"...She what?!"

Feliciana was saved by the elevator arriving at the 18th floor. Gillian seized both their wrists and began barrelling down the hall. Her voice echoed loudly in the hushed corridor.

"You should have come with us! I mean, we always come to Francis's place so we totally know how to get here, but we missed that one exit because we were listenin' to Lostprophets and being all like nostalgic about middle school, but hey, we're not _that_ late, are w-"

"Let go of me," Lovina demanded, digging in her heels into the carpet. It was no use. Gillian just pulled harder and talked louder. Lovina looked at Antonio, who simply shrugged.

They halted in front of the very last door in the hallway, Suite 1832. GIllian hurled herself against it and banged her fist loudly on the wood.

"Little pigs, little pigs, let the awesome me come in!" She hollered. "Or I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow this door do-"

She nearly fell flat on her face as the door was abruptly yanked open. Arthur stood imperiously over her, eyes full of disapproval.

"Damn it, Beilschmidt. Do you _want_ Ms. Roma to throw us out or something?"

"She'd never throw me out," Gillian declared. "I'm way too awesome for that. But," She pointed at Arthur's forehead. "A caterpillar infestation might make her think twice about you, Kirkland."

Lovina and Antonio snickered. Arthur sighed melodramatically and stepped back to let them in.

The two-bedroom apartment wasn't very large, but it was furnished artfully. Francis had inherited his sense of style not just from his father, but his mother as well. At the moment, the living room was filled with people chatting away and stuffing their faces with the delicious snacks Chef Roma had created for them all. After all, the only reason why Arthur had agreed to having the movie night at Francis's was for the food.

Gillian's voice overpowered them all as she wriggled out of her coat, tossing it carelessly on the large pile of them near the door.

"So how'd ya come, Artie? Doesn't it take you like, two hours to get here? Toni and me drove. But we don't always take the car and we were totally belting Lostprophets when Toni missed the exit, so we circled around like seven times! We didn't really pay attention to the street names, just lookin' for that science museum, you know, the one with the really awesome dino skeletons you can see right through the wall? Anyway, it was looking really hopeless until all of a sudden we randomly found ourselves at Alexander and Olivier, and finally we knew where to go, but then we had to look for a parking spot and the prices here are so friggin' hi...Ms. Roma! Hey!"

Francis's mother appeared with a heavily laden tray, smiling at the newcomers.

"Good to _hear _you again, Gillian. Hello, Antonio." She set the tray down to give Lovina a big hug. "And Lovi! You can't imagine how surprised I was when Francis told me you were coming!"

Lovina squirmed and blushed. "Hi, Auntie Monica."

"See, she calls you Lovi too!"

"Gill, please shut up." Sensing a family reunion, Arthur grabbed Gillian's shoulders and marched her towards the others.

Aunt Monica released her niece. "So you and Antonio are the big stars, huh? Anyway, since I knew both of you would be here, I decided some bruschetta should be on the menu." She held out the tray towards them. "Your favourite, Lovi!"

"Your favourite?" Antonio reached for one. "Hey, mine too! I love tomatoes."

"Everyone loves tomatoes," Lovina scoffed as Francis emerged from his room, his hand cupped over the speaking end of a phone.

He handed it to his mother. "Papa wants to talk to you about spring break."

The sweet expression on Aunt Monica's face quickly melted into an exasperation. "I don't care if he's willing to pay for both of the plane tickets, but would it really ruin his schedule to come _here_ for once?" She snatched it up and walked back into the kitchen, no longer in the mood for small talk.

Francis, seemingly unfazed, picked up the abandoned tray and nodded towards the crowded couches. "Shall we?"

Not everyone in the cast was present, but it was still a very large gathering. All available seats were already taken, some people even resorting to sitting on the floor. Lovina settled for a spot near the coffee table, keeping a close eye on the bruschetta tray. Antonio plopped onto the carpet next to her. Leaning against the couch behind them, he so-very-innocently "stretched" which put his arm in the perfect position to rest behind her back. She promptly swatted it away.

"Don't even think about it."

"But now that you've said it, how can he not think about it?" Yong Soo questioned from above them, leaning over to stare upside-down into her face.

"Go away."

"But to where?" he asked airily. Not waiting for an answer, he flopped back into the couch, causing the person beside him to spill some of his drink.

"Watch it!" Yao gingerly began to sponge his pants.

Arthur stood in front of the television set, waving his arms to get everybody's attention.

"Alright, cast. Today we're watching the _West Side Story_ film, a cinematic masterpiece by Robert Wise and the incredible Jerome Robbins," he said. "Now, there are obviously going to be differences from what you're about to see and what we'll actually rehearse, but I believe it is vitally important to take in the superb acting and choreography shown here..."

He was rudely interrupted by a piece of popcorn bouncing off the side of his head.

"Geddonwivit!" Gillian yelled through a mouthful of food.

Arthur bestowed one of his best glares upon her before continuing. "As I was saying, there are going to be some major differences between our production and this one, and I'll point them out as the film progresses." He knelt down to the DVD player and slipped the disc in.

"Have you seen this movie before?" Antonio asked Lovina. She shook her head. "Oh, don't worry, Arthur's right. It's a classic!"

"Yeah, it takes a real man to kick another's ass while doing ballet," Gillian butted in cheerfully from the other side of the coffee table. Arthur shushed her.

Alfred squinted at the screen from one of the armchairs. "Hey, Francis. Is your TV okay or what? The screen's gone all yellow."

"No, no, that's how the movie starts. You'll see what those lines are in a second."

"The music's familiar..."

"It's the Tonight Quintet. Right?"

"Yes, yes it is." Roderich looked very pleased that someone was paying attention. Antonio was humming along quietly, a small smile playing on his face. Lovina stuffed her mouth with another piece of bruschetta and ignored him the best she could.

"Guys, they still look like lines to me. Except that it's all orange."

"Would you just shut up and keep watching!"

"Now it's blue."

Maddie whapped him lightly on the shoulder. "None of us are colourblind, Captain Obvious."

"Aha! There we go..._West Side Story_!"

"Good job, you know how to read. We'll give you a medal."

"Ohhhh, it's New York City!"

"The prologue was the only scene in this entire movie shot on location," Arthur announced. "Everything else was done on sound stages in California."

"Are you going to tell us every tiny bit of trivia throughout the whole thing?"

"Yes, he will."

"Well, this is gonna suck."

Arthur retaliated by upturning his entire bowl of popcorn on Gillian's head. She just laughed and started eating them off the floor.

"Really, Gill?"

Alfred sat up eagerly when people finally appeared on the screen. "Hey, who's that? Is that me?"

"Yes, Russ Tamblyn played Riff. He's actually in several other movie musicals, including _Seven Bri_-"

"We don't care, Arthur."

Francis, still standing, leaned over the back of the couch. "Mm, I always thought Bernardo was the best looking one. So good thing that he's me."

"Oooh, but the guy playing Tony was also pretty dreamy," Elizabeta said.

Antonio laughed. "Thanks, I guess?"

Lovina rolled her eyes.

"See, I told you! Manly, dancey ass-kicking!" Gillian scooped more popcorn off the floor. "But we'll still some normal fighting, right?"

"Yup. I'm the fight director," HK answered.

"Really? Awesome!"

"Wait, there's going to be real fighting onstage?" Elizabeta asked.

"Stage combat isn't real fighting," Arthur began. "The entire occupation of a fight director entails-"

Alfred sighed loudly. "Aw man, could _you_ just shut up and watch the movie?"

Arthur slid down in his chair and pouted.

* * *

**A/N: **_**West Side Story **_**is honestly one of my favourite musicals of all time (after **_**Les Miserables**_** and **_**A Little Night Music,**_** in fact) and I really do LOVE the film. Go out and find it if you haven't seen it before!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim.  
All Lady Gaga songs belong to her own fabulous self.**

* * *

Twenty or so teenagers were milling around the auditorium, chattering carelessly to one another. Francis stood along the sidelines, hair pulled back into a loose ponytail and hands on hips. An expression of reluctant concern played upon his face.

"Just a reminder, but you volunteered for this position."

At this, Francis turned and frowned. Arthur, arms folded innocently on the production team table, looked up at him smugly. "Having second thoughts?"

"I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

"No, you don't." There was barely suppressed glee in the tone of voice. For a control freak, Arthur seemed to be more than happy to let go of the reins this one time. Then again, this was a choreography rehearsal.

Francis grimaced. "Fine, then let's get started."

Arthur stood up and clapped his hands together. "Right! Everyone, come listen to Francis. Today's all about choreography, so he's in charge."

"Wooooow, big move for you, Kirkland!"

"Shut it, Beilschmidt."

Francis took in a deep breath, then slapped on his most charming smile. Several girls giggled back, which was always the best response. "Hey there! Welcome to the first dance rehearsal, which will be a lot more fun without Arthur bossing you around." More giggles, good. He ignored the scowl burning into his back and continued. "If you feel like you aren't coordinated enough to dance well, don't worry about it. You wouldn't make it to this stage if you weren't! It's my job to make the choreo easy for you, and everyone here will practically be pros by the end of our run."

Okay, so he was spouting off a few white lies, but it was all for the sake of boosting confidence and assuaging feelings. A few cast members were clearly not buying it. Francis kept up his cheery attitude as best as he could, herding the mainly blank-faced group into a scraggly circle.

"First off, we're going to do some stretches and warm-ups."

He glanced behind him, where Arthur had his nose buried in other notes, completely ignoring him. Luckily, Maddie looked up from her laptop. "You need music?"

"Yeah, anything upbeat."

In a few seconds, the place was filled with people doing jumping jacks to 'Poker Face.' Anything to get heart rates going. Francis made a point to keep the stretches short and useful, even going for some drills. He'd assumed that the most basic things, such as turns and kicks, would surely be doable for most people, but some couldn't even remember to point their toes. After catching Raivis spinning off-centre for the umpteenth time, he decided enough was enough.

"Oooookay! We're good," he declared, shoving the kid back into the pack. "Gilly, over here."

A certain someone was still prancing around on her own in a corner, her high kicks resembling karate attacks instead of graceful ballet moves.

_Eh-ey, eh-ey, I wish he never looked at me that way..._

Antonio reached over and tugged on her sleeve. "Gilly!"

"Gill?"

"Gillian, get with the program!" Arthur shouted.

She stopped mid-kick and flashed a completely unapologetic grin at Francis. "Great, great. So, today we're going to learn the 'Dance at the Gym' sequence. It's what we used for the auditions, if anyone remembers. Don't worry if you don't remember it anymore; we're going to relearn it - and with new partners. So, I'm going to call out names. After you find your partner, you go to where I put you and don't move!"

He fished a piece of paper out of his pocket and began to rattle off pairings. The crowd slowly shifted and split up with the Sharks on one side and the Jets on the other. Alfred found himself at the front of his group, partnered with Natalya.

He confidently held out his hand to her. "Hi! I guess we're together, huh?"

She stared at his proffered hand for a few moments before announcing coldly, "I want to dance with Ivan."

"Well, um. He isn't in this song." Alfred was taken aback at the rejection. "He's not even here right now."

Natalya glared at him for a few more seconds before turning away. Alfred found himself at a complete loss for words. Most people seemed easy to befriend and liked his outgoing and cheerful attitude...well, there was Arthur, but nothing _ever_ pleased that guy. He tried to recall everything he knew about Natalya. She was in his year, but mainly kept to herself and spoke very little. At some point, he'd picked up some news that she was apparently a really good gymnast, even though she wasn't on the school's team. She was just that good, to do it with a more professional trainer. Alfred eyed the stoic girl, finally noticing how she was dressed. With the dark ribbon in her hair, along with the elegant dress and fancy tights, she looked more like a model than an athlete. As an athlete himself, he found that fascinating. He remembered the hoodie and basketball shorts he'd thrown on after Phys Ed and suddenly felt self-conscious.

"Oh Alfred, please stop checking your partner out and pay attention," Francis's voice sang out.

Snickers echoed throughout the group. Alfred shrugged and grinned, basking in the limelight. Natalya didn't seem to care or even notice.

Francis was having second thoughts about his plans for "Dance at the Gym". This number was the biggest, most unruly dance song in the entire show, and he didn't want to pressure people into perfection. He had figured that swing dancing would make things fun. He thought that teaching the basic steps and a few snazzy moves would trigger self-motivation. He had assumed giving them some choice in what moves they wanted to do would make things easier, but... some people had two left feet, or something!

"No, it's like..." He sighed and reached over to grab Tina's ankle in order to rearrange her footwork. A shadow fell over him, and he peered up into Berwald's suspicious eyes. "Um...Gill, let's show them."

His own partner skipped over cheerily, not having minded being free to chortle at everyone else's mistakes. Francis explained the moves as they demonstrated together.

"Turn in with your right foot, then, while still with your weight on that side, lean onto your partner so you can kick up with your left."

He arched back, letting Gillian snap her leg towards the rafters. As they straightened up, he heard a loud squeal, followed by the loud crash of two bodies hitting the floor. Francis whirled around.

"What happened?"

Kim disentangled herself from her partner and stood up, frowning. "All we were doing was trying that lift! We did what you told us to do, hold the other person around the waist with both arms, and then kick up. But when I grabbed him, Mr. Smooth here flipped out and dropped me."

Yong Soo rolled over from where he had been splayed out on the floor. "I'm ticklish, okay!"

Francis groaned. From her seat on the sidelines, Lovina sniggered heartlessly at his predicament. Next to her, Antonio watched her face.

"Hey, it's great to see you smile. You should try it more often."

"And it was great to not hear your voice. You should try it more often," She responded rudely. Feigning indifference, Lovina slouched, stretching her legs and sliding down to the edge of her seat. "If we're not dancing at a _dance_ rehearsal, what's the point of being here?"

"Well, if you want to dance...we could, you know. Want to try some moves?"

"Wh...no! I only meant-"

He had already hopped to his feet. "Come on, let's swing!"

Lovina felt herself yanked off the bench and tripped over her own feet as Antonio pulled her aside. Facing her, he positioned her hands whilst announcing directions. "So, guys palms up, girls palms down."

She blinked and looked up at his grin. Suddenly, she felt a creeping suspicion, and snatched her hands away just as he tried to slap them, hard. Antonio laughed.

"Okay, okay...you're pretty smart, aren't you?"

"A lot smarter than you." Lovina felt relieved and even a bit proud at catching onto the game. "Which shouldn't be so hard anyway."

Antonio shrugged, apparently not minding such an insult to his intelligence. "Fine, I promise not to trick you. Let's try the twirl." He fished for her hand, which she twisted out of his reach, eventually hiding it behind her back. "Come on, I _need_ to hold your hand!"

"You hit it last time!"

"I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you." Lovina dodged, but Antonio managed to finally get hold of her hand. "Here."

He shot her a smirk, then bent forward and kissed the back of her fingers. She stared down at him, awed, aghast, and against her will, totally charmed.

Seeing that Lovina was finally incapacitated, Antonio tugged lightly, and she executed a flawless twirl into his arms.

"Very nice. Too bad you two are the _only_ ones who don't need to do that..."

Francis was paying them attention at last. Lovina made a noise reminiscent to a dying beaver, then shoved Antonio away, desperately trying not to turn red. She decided to give her fingernails an in-depth examination whilst Francis yelled for everybody to take their positions for the cha cha portion of the dance. He then ushered Antonio to one end, and Lovina to the other.

"So, basically like in the movie, you guys are going to walk slowly towards the middle -"

"And this needs rehearsing?" Lovina demanded.

"Well, while you're doing that, I'm moving these people -" Francis waved his hand at the dancers irritably. "To their respective spots so they all mingle. It's something like crossing the bridge between racial differences, or whatever."

Antonio blinked. "That's...pretty deep."

"Apparently, every small move on stage is significant," Francis grumped, shooting a look at Arthur, who was still barricaded behind the production table with his notes. Only Maddie paid any attention, faithfully jotting down every piece of choreography for reference in the prompt book.

He sighed and turned back to the rest of the cast. "Alright, I have it figured out. It's going to take three counts of eight. It's just that the rest of you have to find a way to get to your new spots within that time without crashing into anyone. I don't care how you do it, because everyone's going to be watching Antonio and Lovina anyway. Just don't have any head-on collisions." He pulled Gillian to his side. "Now this is what we do when they meet, it's almost exactly like the movie. Antonio, Lovina, you do this too. We all do it at the same time."

He went through the moves and described the simple dance simultaneously. "All the girls will be on the right, like Lovina, and the guys across from her, like Antonio. Boys, be a gentleman and bow. Girls, be the ladies you are and curtsey..."

Gillian tugged at the sides of her pants as she bobbed up and down.

" This part is when it gets almost exactly like the movie. Lovina, stand in front of Antonio. Gill, in front of me."

Lovina begrudgingly obeyed. All the other pairs were staring at them now. Francis and Gillian never had a problem in the limelight, and Antonio probably didn't even notice, but she had never asked to be a star. Whose idea was this again?

Right. Feliciana's.

"Up on our toes. Lift arms to the side. If anyone in this cast exists who can't do this, you are an idiot," Francis declared. "Girls turn your head to the left, guys to the right. Now, tiptoe walk sideways in the direction where your head is turned. When you stop, put your arms down. "

Lovina's arm brushed against Antonio's chest. Instinctively, she spread her fingers out and shoved him back. Antonio lost balance and nearly fell into Gillian.

"You're too close," she tried to claim. Gillian frowned, and Francis rolled his eyes.

"He's supposed to be close to you! It's a dance of romance!"

"I'm okay. Watch out next time," Antonio said generously, resuming his position. Lovina would have rather pushed him again.

Francis went on. "Do the exact same thing back. Tiptoe, arms..." The students obeyed the commands. "Heads still looking the same way, demi-plié."

"What?"

"Bend your knees." He demonstrated. "Feet in first position, which you all should remember learning about in warm-ups. Heels together and toes turned out."

The general height level of the auditorium momentarily lowered as everybody tried to plie. Some standardization would have to be introduced.

"After you're doing your plié, snap your fingers twice. You'll hear the beat in the music when you're supposed to do it. Watch Gilly and me do it." They went through the entire sequence together. "Allow your body to be more relaxed, and lean back, looking at your partner as you plié. So yeah, you can tilt your head back if you're shorter."

Lovina cursed her height. She was a good height for her age, but Antonio was stupidly tall. Ignoring Francis's instructions, she only stretched her back with the smallest increment possible and glared up at him through her bangs. He only smiled benignly, like this was some sort of inside joke.

Damn his good looks! Not that she was going to admit he looked good.

"After the plié, gently straighten up, and that's when you snap your fingers. Like..." Francis sang a little as he and Gillian moved up and down with great dignity. "Lalalalalala, snap snap. Lalalalalala, snap snap…and now-"

The two of them changed places, their feet moving in rhythm with the last phrase. Now, Francis was in front and Gillian in the back.

"So, on that last part, you do a turn still on demi-pointe, arms in fifth position – up in the air – until you're back into the original set up, but places swapped."

He and Gillian turned around. People were finishing the moves at different times, trying not to bump into one another and remember what positions had been called out. Francis sighed.

"Okay, let's do it again..."

* * *

Francis did not know how many times he had grilled the cast on that one piece of actual ballet choreography. It seemed to mesh all together in his head, and he didn't feel like listening to a cha cha for at least the rest of the week. Unfortunately, there would be another dance rehearsal in three days' time, so he would have to resign himself to his fate.

"Lalalalala, snap snap! Lalalalala, snap snap!" Gillian giggled heartlessly as she mimicked his instructions from before. "Great vocabulary, Fran-Fran."

He pulled out his ponytail and began to fluff his hair to remove the kinks. "Oh, shut up. I can't believe I agreed to do this."

"I _like_ dance rehearsals. They are way awesome. See my kicks?"

"But you're not the one leading them. And yeah, of course I did, Miss Ninja."

Gillian was incredibly pleased with his choice of words and began to karate chop at his waist whilst he gathered all his belongings. Antonio ambled towards them from the crowd, looking happy. Before he could speak, Francis cut him off.

"Looks like we had fun today, didn't we? Dancing with a certain _someone_? Hey, I saw the look on her face. Smooth moves."

Antonio grinned and shrugged. Gillian turned and aimed at his arm instead, doubling her speed.

"Who's her? Lovina? So like, she's falling and stuff?"

Antonio looked a bit embarrassed. "I dunno about 'falling'. I still feel like I don't know her. Normal stuff, like what her hobbies are, what she likes or doesn't like...even today, I can't tell if she liked the _dancing_ or not. I don't even know why she's in the play."

"Yeah, she's like that." Francis could not offer any advice. Lovina had made it clear that she did not consider him an ally. "You'd be better off figuring that out from Feli, her sister."

Gillian paused in mid-slice at Antonio's elbow. "Wait, is this cute Feli? As in, Ludwig's Feli?"

"Probably."

"Oh, she's awesome! Let's go find her," she cried, snatching up Antonio's arm firmly. "I love talking to Feli. Think there's a sort of art club or whatever she's in right now. We can ask her no problem, Feli's a sweetheart. She'll tell us everything!"

* * *

**A/N: For those who have read this story before, I confess that I'm changing a lot more than I expected. The reason is because I feel that previously, my characters had been super-flat (coughlikeAntoniocough) so a major aim for editing was to make them more 3 dimensional. Anyway, I hope you appreciate the changes - luckily, most have been additions or reaction responses rather than complete exclusions!**

**I have a small running joke in regards to fem!Prussia being a massive Lady Gaga fan. It's very silly, really, but isn't that what inside jokes are all about?**

**Once again (and until forever), thank you for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim.  
The Cherry Orchard belongs to Anton Chekhov.**

* * *

Back at her locker, Lovina was quite preoccupied. With one hand pressed against the pile of books that threatened to avalanche to the floor, she stared down at the speckled floor tiles, chewing her lip in concentration. The few others in the hallway gave her the occasional curious glance as they collected their things, but ultimately left her alone.

She was wrestling with her thoughts. It wasn't about whether she liked Antonio or not – that was out of her control. And against her will...Lovina thumped her head on the edge of the locker, ignoring the shooting pain and stupidity of the action. She did. He was annoying, but he was nice. He was sometimes stupid, but also funny. And more obviously than anything else, Antonio was hot as hell. Lovina felt like screaming and punching herself just for thinking that.

The main problem was that she was also mortified with the fact that he seemed to like her as well. It was practically unfathomable. In their old town, no boy had given her a second glance except for one who was universally disliked for his creepy one-liners and octopus hands. Then even he had dropped her the second Feliciana walked around the corner (and was promptly beaten into a pulp once his groping fingers had wandered towards her sister's chest).

So, Lovina just did not know how to react to this. There had never been a reason to flirt with anyone. Oh, God – the silly swing dancing earlier today was flirting. She _did_ flirt with him. She pressed her forehead harder against her locker in horror. He was going to _know_! But, wait, was that supposed to be the point? And if he liked her, and she liked him, then...er...things _should_ work out, right?

She was confusing herself now, and the metal was really cutting into her forehead. Slamming her locker shut, Lovina decided to figure it all out at home. Why anyone would want to stay another minute in this stupid place was beyond her.

The nearest exit was on the school's south side. Lovina headed towards it, still thinking about the rehearsal. Swing dancing might not be so bad. If things kept up, they could still try some moves next time...

"Wow, that's...a lot of info. I don't know if I can even remember it all at once."

She stiffened. By now, she could recognise that lilting, carefree voice from anywhere. Antonio appeared, walking backwards down an intersecting corridor with a look of deep admiration on his face. Lovina's stomach flipped when he reached up and ruffled his hair and made it even messier.

"Well, yeah! I've known all my life! You can ask me again if you forget. Hope it all works out okay!"

Another unmistakable voice – Feliciana walked right after him, with Gillian's arm around her shoulder and Francis toting her enormous portfolio bag alongside. Antonio had all his attention on Feliciana. Awed expression, nervous gestures, and everything.

Lovina felt like throwing up. Then:

"Yeah, I'm gonna forget. I just know it...haha. So like, can I have your number in case I need to call you?"

The vomit seemed to stop somewhere mid-throat. Lovina thought she was going to die. Feliciana, ever blithe and naïve, chirped back.

"Sure! Let me go put some stuff away first..."

"Okay!"

The group continued down the hallway, not even seeing the girl frozen against a bulletin board just a few metres away from them. Once they were out of earshot, Lovina rushed at the exit. In her flustered state, it took a few agitated attempts before she wrenched the bar forward and flung herself into the chilly air.

At least, there was nothing left to wonder about. He'd made his choice clear.

* * *

The next afternoon, Antonio practically skipped out of his classroom when the bell sounded. He couldn't wait for rehearsal – yesterday's had gone so well. Though Francis had left feeling less excited about the production, everything was really looking up.

They'd found Feliciana cleaning up her paints in the art room and had helped her put away all the supplies. There, the whole situation was explained – rather shamelessly and loudly by Gillian, making Antonio feel a bit embarrassed. But Feliciana was truly a sweetheart, and had no problem talking about her sister's favourite classes, habits, meals, and their family's history...everything under the sun. It had even been overwhelming. She'd even offered to give him Lovina's phone number, since he now had hers, but Antonio didn't want to look like a creeper.

He made a quick detour into the student lounge, making a beeline for a semicircle of squishy couches in one sunny corner. Leaning over the side of one, he poked at the soft belly belonging to a body sprawled out across one of them.

"Mmmmph. Go 'way!"

"Gill, it's time for rehearsal. We're blocking scenes today!"

"Ngeh?" Gillian groggily pulled herself up into a sitting position. "Wow. I slept through Stats?" She ran her fingers through her silvery hair. "Eh, whatever."

"You gotta watch out how you lie down," Antonio cautioned her. "You could almost see your tattoo."

"Seriously?" Gillian, ever the lady, automatically pulled up her shirt again to examine her side. "Holy. If that gets out to my parents, I'm so dead." She hopped to her feet. "Welp. Let's get going before Artie does his nut."

They ran down the stairs together over to a large, empty classroom that Arthur had finally been given the green light for preserving solely for play use. Upon entering, the first sight that greeted the two was their dedicated director crouching towards the floor. Gillian ran up and planted a firm kick on the lifted bottom.

"Gah!" Arthur jumped, and an odd ripping sound was heard. He turned and glared, the masking tape in his hands now tangled and wasted.

She shrugged. "Your butt is just that irresistible. In all the wrong ways."

Antonio dropped his bag and wandered over. "What are you doing?"

"Taping the dimensions of the stage, so we can block without falling offstage and not realizing it," Arthur explained. He bent down to continue, and promptly walked backwards into Maddie, who had been hidden under a massive pile of books in her arms. Before she could drop them, Gillian had scooped up a few.

"Thanks."

"Awesome shirt!" Gillian poked the younger girl in the stomach. "Polar bear in a snowstorm, right? I saw that online!"

At that point, the door banged open and Alfred scampered in. Maddie nearly fell over again when he attacked her with an enormous hug.

"Hey, baby sis!" He let go of her and Maddie commenced breathing once more. Alfred beamed at the others. "Hi, guys. What are we doing today?"

Arthur sighed dramatically before abandoning his tape and picking up his director's notebook. It was already fat from notes, with scribbles covering the pages. The growing crowd of students waited for instructions.

"Let's do sectionals. Antonio and Al, you guys go with HK outside to work on the second scene when you meet at Doc's. Everyone else is a Shark, so we're doing the scene after the dance right before 'America.' " He flipped the page. "After that, we'll run the balcony scene when Lovina gets here."

"You mean the fire escape scene," HK said.

"Whatever." Arthur rolled his eyes. "You know it's essentially _Romeo and Juliet_."

HK picked up a script, walked to the door and opened it, looking back expectantly. Alfred grinned at Antonio, clapping him on the shoulder, and the boys left. Arthur frowned at his watch.

"Where the hell is that bloody pervert idiot? He's got the first line, damn him."

He might have continued with a few more curse words, hadn't the subject in question strolled through the doorway, almost on cue.

"Aw, waiting for me?"

"Yes, you imbecile. Blocking. Scene five. Now."

"Someone really needs to pull that stick out of your ass."

"Would you quit lazing around? It's end of January! Show goes up in April! There's no time to lose!" Arthur shooed the group into the big rectangle of tape. There was work to be done.

* * *

The hallway was completely void of people, which was a good thing. Nobody was around to disrupt the Jet leads' sectional. Not that Antonio and Alfred needed any herding. They were both devoted to their roles, which was definitely helped by the fact that Antonio was a hardworking guy with a hidden well of talent, and Alfred…Alfred was _very enthusiastic_. If only he didn't feel like adding an entire speech of his own commentary after every line was necessary.

"What's wrong with you? Four and one-half year, I live with a buddy and his family. Four and one-half year, I think I know a man's character. Buddy boy..." Alfred squinted at the crumpled pack of paper in his hands. "I am a victim of disappointment in you."

Antonio slapped him on the shoulder, lines already memorized and script discarded. "Then end your suffering, little man. Why don't you pack up your gear and clear out?"

"'Cause your ma's got the hots for me." Alfred blinked. "Wait. Did he basically just say 'your mom'?"

"Er…yeah, I guess." HK had offered the bare minimum of direction during this entire time, opting instead to let the actors plough their way through the scene. He didn't move from his spot on the floor, cross-legged and learning on one arm, resting his chin on his fist. "Remember that the characters actually aren't much older than us. So they can be pretty immature. And Tony and Riff are bros, like _bro_ bros."

"Oh!" You could almost see the lightbulb brightening over Alfred's head. Before he could comment again, the floor unexpectedly rose up to meet him – and he found himself kneeling over, right cheek planted firmly into the floor. Antonio grabbed his arm and deftly twisted it around his back.

HK sat up a little straighter in surprise. That was eerily quick.

"Oww! Can't see m'script!"

"...Uh, Antonio? Good job, but Al needs to know his next line."

The intense expression gradually eased off Antonio's face. "Oh? Oh, right! Sorry." He handed the stapled pack of papers back to Alfred, who sat up and smiled ruefully back, massaging his shoulder. Some people had such inner strength, and this wasn't some hipster-zen statement. He meant literal inner strength.

"Let's try that again. Find a way to get him to the floor without obstructing his face, so he can still say his lines."

Alfred opened his mouth to voice a suggestion, but Antonio had grabbed his arm again. This time, Alfred merely lost balance and his knees crashed to the floor.

"YOW!"

"Whoops! Sorry!"

HK reluctantly shifted his weight. He was going to have to really do something after all.

"Let's learn how to perform a stage fall, okay?"

Alfred gingerly got to his feet. "That would be great, thanks."

* * *

An hour later, they were back in the classroom. After the Sharks had left, Arthur had run through Antonio and Alfred's scene a few times with a few pointers and opinions of his own. His notebook, opened to a clean and innocent page at the start of the rehearsal, was now sullied with comments and ideas from margin to margin. It was virtually unreadable, making Maddie's life as stage manager suffer as she tried to decipher the scribbles and turn them into somewhat organised lists.

Arthur finally declared Alfred finished with and booted him out of the room, then turned to the others. "Five minute break! No more, no less!"

He snatched up his notebook and strode out the door, apparently intending to pore over them in the bathroom. Maddie stretched and sighed, and HK immediately pulled out his phone. Antonio sidled over to Lovina, who had been pretending to be completely immersed in her book for the past twenty minutes. She hadn't looked at or spoken to anyone, even now as he sat down in the chair next to her.

"Hey!" Antonio waited for a response. None came.

"So, whatcha reading?"

Lovina turned the page.

"Is it for class? Or just for fun?" He tried to read the title. "_The Cherry Orchard_. What's it about?"

Antonio was forced to sit in awkward silence for three more minutes as Lovina did an excellent job of pointedly ignoring him. Arthur strolled back into the room, looking satisfied.

"Break's over! Alright, hopefully this won't take very long." He put his notebook back on the table and scratched his eyebrows. "We've been here for a while, especially you, Antonio. Let's just run this a few times, then discuss notes. And maybe you two can practice on your own sometime."

Lovina snorted derisively, tossing the book carelessly behind her. She snatched up her script and followed Arthur to the taped rectangle. Antonio followed suit.

"Lovina, those two chairs are where we're going to put the fire escape. Don't worry, you won't move very much in the scene anyway. Let's start from the top."

She obliged by hoisting herself onto the seat. Antonio found himself being glared down on. It was very unnerving. He was confused, but there was nothing to do but press on with the rehearsal.

"Maria, Maria!"

"Shhh. Quiet."

"Come down!"

"No, it is dangerous."

"I'm not one of them."

Lovina's eyes narrowed as she responded flatly. "You are, but to me, you are not. Just as I am one of them."

Arthur waved his hands as a signal for them to pause. "Lovina! Don't cover your face with the script! Look at him, for Pete's sake. Could you _please_ try to get the emotion of the scene?"

Antonio looked back up at her. Lovina had transferred her glare to Arthur (who was matching it with impeccable ease). Antonio suddenly felt miserable, like he was responsible for her clear lack of interest in acting right now.

"Do it over," Arthur ordered.

Lovina lowered her script reluctantly. Antonio wanted to apologise, but for what? He didn't even know.

"Maria..."

"Quiet."

* * *

Lovina crammed her script into her backpack, not caring at how it scrunched and threatened to rip. It had never been her wish to be in this stupid play anyway, and this had been the worst rehearsal yet. Antonio had spent the entire half hour staring up at her with these wide, green puppy eyes. She'd wanted to stab them, stab them with a pen. I hate him, Lovina reminded herself, and only remembered _The Cherry Orchard_ at the last second.

"Hey, Lovina?"

She walked out of the room without saying goodbye to anyone. Unfortunately, he followed.

"Are you okay?"

No. She didn't voice it, just continued walking.

"So...Arthur says we should practice on our own. I can help you with the Spanish. If you need it."

Lovina rolled her eyes. Just as she was about to turn the corner, he reached out and touched her shoulder. Her eyes widened.

"Look, you seem kind of upset today an-"

"Don't touch me," she snapped. It was the first non-scripted thing she had said to him all day.

"I – sorry. It's just," Antonio floundered, looking truly lost and bewildered. "Well, did…did Feli say anything about me last night?"

Unbelievable. Lovina's jaw dropped. What. An absolute. Asshole. She said this out loud.

"…Me?"

"See anyone else around?"

"But what did I do?" He was beginning to look wounded. Even a whine had crept into his tone. Lovina despised it.

"You're not going to get her," she said in her best disdainful tone. "Just because she's all cute at you doesn't mean anything. She's just like the dumb lady in this play -" Lovina waved _The Cherry Orchard_ in his face. "– nice to everyone. You're not a special case! She's not interested. And I won't let your slimy ass near her anyway."

"I thought we were doing okay," Antonio did not comprehend. "I thought you, I mean, she said -"

"Go away!" Lovina shouted, suddenly sounded on the verge of tears. "Leave me alone!"

"Wait!" He tried to grab her arm. Lovina screamed, covering her face and swinging as hard as she could. The book wasn't very thick, but when the corner of the spine connected with Antonio's jawline, the sound seemed to echo down the hall.

Lovina gasped in horror as he reeled backwards in shock and pain.

Then, she ran.

* * *

**A/N: Double update! With a generous helping of drama...Yay! =P  
I'm a big Chekhov fangirl. His work is absolutely fab. 10/10 would recommend.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim.**

* * *

The student lounge at Hetalia High remained free for as long the school was open, but for some reason not that many people chose to use it for lunching purposes. Antonio considered himself lucky for this. He sat on the couches in the corner, knees pulled up to his chest. Beside him, Francis munched away at a sandwich. Shadows crossed over them as Gillian paced up and down in front of the windows.

"I have no idea what made her so angry."

"Maybe she's just crazy!" Gillian twisted around to examine the bruise forming on Antonio's chin. He ducked his head behind his knees sulkily. "Crazy girl going around whackin' people."

Francis unscrewed a water bottle. "What did you say to her? She might have misinterpreted something."

"I don't know! I just say whatever comes to mind. It wasn't a problem before."

Gillian plopped down on his other side and kicked her feet up on the ledge. Reaching for a baggie of carrot sticks, she snapped one noisily. "That's what you think. You say some pretty weird crap sometimes."

Antonio unfurled himself, twisting around on the couch. Hooking his legs over the back and letting his head dangle off the side, he sighed dramatically. "Once, she was blushing and I said it was kind of like a tomato."

He lay there, upside-down and somber as his friends reacted to the news. Francis nearly spat water all over himself as Gillian squawked, "A tomato?"

"Yeah like, all red and cute. I told you I just say whatever comes to mind!"

Gillian had already stopped listening, rolling around with spasms of laughter.

"You called her a tomato! Awesome! Like, actually awesome, I am in awe!" She straightened into a sitting position, necklace askew. "No lie, I'd hit you too. Antonio, my friend…that is the stupidest metaphor I have ever heard of."

"It was a simile," Francis corrected.

"Whatever."

Antonio flapped his hands impatiently. "So what should I do? Apologise?"

Gillian snorted. "No! You didn't do anything. Except for saying something dumb, but that ain't a crime."

Francis returned the bottle to his bag. "I'd say just give her some space for the time being. She can stay moody for a very long time. Be respectful to her wishes, that's all we can do for now."

"She seems kind of a bitch to me," Gillian said.

Antonio sat up. "Don't be so harsh, you don't even know her."

"Neither do you!"

Their voices were beginning to rise, so Francis hastily raised a hand. "Guys, drop it. Class time. Let's go."

* * *

It had been a long rehearsal, but Arthur felt an immense rush of relief washing over him. The most acting-heavy song, particularly one that required so many individual roles, had finally been blocked. True, the blocking had been cobbled together in a slap-dash, simple manner (he had stolen several ideas from the film), but the most important thing was that the song was finished. Herding this motley crew of teenage boys from mark to mark had been a right headache at certain points, but Arthur was pleased.

The process might have felt less painful if it weren't for _him_.

Alfred was the main obstacle of the day, although the guy probably wasn't even trying to be. It seemed that for every direction or piece of blocking Arthur had given, Alfred had three ideas of his own on how the song should work. And he was persistent about using them, rendering blunt rejection useless. At least half of the past hour had been spent arguing, and Arthur had been tired of it by the second verse.

But it hadn't even put a dent into Alfred's reserve of energy. Surrounded by the other Jets, he gesticulated wildly, probably telling some ridiculous story of his many achievements. A laugh bubbled up from them, triggering a frown from Arthur. That was almost involuntary, but could he help feeling irritated right now?

A sharp jab in his side snapped him out of his funk, and he let out an incredibly undignified yelp. Arthur turned around to see HK giving him his 'innocent' face.

"Oh, I thought you said you weren't ticklish anymore." He calmly held up a script. "Maddie's done writing everything down into the prompt."

"Fine. Thanks." Arthur turned his attention back to the Jets. "Alright, everybody up! I want to see the song in full."

There was a collective groan from the crowd.

"From the very beginning? I don't even know if I can remember…"

"But it's like, almost four thirty."

"And we still need to stay after, too? I'm beat!"

Only Alfred remained cheerful, and hopped off his chair willingly. "Aw, come on, guys! We can do this!" He mimed kicking Yong Soo's butt, so that his friend begrudgingly got to his feet.

Arthur pointed at the Korean boy. "From your line. Cops believe…"

Yong Soo took a quick look at his script before rolling it up. "Cops believe everything they read in the papers!"

Alfred pushed him aside and circled the rest of the Jet boys, who were settling into their positions. "To them, we ain't human. We're cruddy juvenile delinquents. And that's what we give 'em!"

He waited for a response, but the only one he received was a whack on the head from Yong Soo's script. "Hey, you!"

Alfred spun around, exaggerating every move. "Me, Officer?"

"Yeah, you! Give me one good reason for not draggin' ya down to the station house, punk!"

At the piano, Roderich started to play the opening bars of the song. Everyone else clustered around Alfred as he began to sing.

_Deeeeeaaaaar  
Kindly Sergeant Krupke,  
You gotta understand!  
It's just our bringing up-ke,  
That gets us outta hand!  
Our mothers all are junkies,  
Our fathers all are drunks!  
Golly, Moses,  
Naturally we're punks!_

They all crawled towards Yong Soo, faces twisted into mocking expressions of indignation.

_Gee, Officer Krupke,  
We're very upset!  
We never had the love that  
Every child oughta get.  
We ain't no delinquents,  
We're misunderstood!  
Deep down inside us, there is good._

"There is good!" Alfred shouted. The boys sprang up, smirking and pushing each other around in a mockery of playfulness and innocence. The song was all about exaggeration and mugging, after all.

_There is good,  
There is good,  
There is untapped good!  
Like, inside the worst of us  
Is GOOD!_

Yong Soo let out a loud, theatrical sniff as he dragged one of his long sleeves across his face.

"That's a touchin' good story!"

"Let me tell it to the world!"

THWACK. "Just tell it to the judge!"

Yong Soo handed the script to Berwald, who was promptly herded behind two chairs with much clamour and fuss. Another cast member helped Yong So drag Alfred by the jacket to deposit him in front of Berwald. The leader of the Jets widened his eyes and put on a childish pout.

_Deeeeeaaaaar  
Kindly Judge your Honor,  
My parents treat me rough!  
With all that marijuana,  
They won't give me a puff!  
They didn't wanna have me,  
But somehow, I was had!  
Leapin' lizards,  
That's why I'm so bad!_

Berwald nodded curtly before turning to Yong Soo. "Right!"

_Officer Krupke,  
You're really a square.  
This boy don't need a judge,  
He needs an analyst's care.  
It's just his neurosis  
That oughta be curbed,  
He's psychologically disturbed._

"I'm disturbed!" sang Alfred.

"I have no doubt," Arthur muttered from the production table.

_We're disturbed,  
We're disturbed,  
We're the most disturbed!  
Like, we're psychologically disturbed!_

Berwald slammed the rolled-up script down on top of the chairs. He hastily tried to smooth out the crumples as he read out his lines.

"Hear ye, hear ye. In the opinion of this court, this child is depraved on the account that he ain't had a normal home."

Alfred perked up at this. "Hey, I'm depraved on the account that I'm deprived!"

Berwald hit him with the script again before declaring, "So take him to a head-shrinker!"

This suggestion was met with cheers. The script, now in very poor shape, was tossed around before finally snatched up by Adam, who used his long legs to clamber up onto the chair before hopping down and sitting in it. He dramatically flicked open the script and placed it across his legs, now crossed daintily. Alfred lay on the floor at his feet. While he sang, Adam mimed writing as the other Jets huddled behind them.

_Myyyyyyy  
Father is a bastard.  
My ma's an S.O.B.  
My grandpa's always plastered.  
My grandma pushes tea!  
My sister wears a mustache ,  
My brother wears a dress!  
Goodness, gracious,  
That's why I'm a mess!_

Adam uncrossed his legs and stood up. "Yes!"

_Officer Krupke,  
You're really a slob.  
This boy don't need a doctor,  
Just a good honest job.  
Society's played him  
A terrible trick!  
And, sociologically, he's sick!_

"I AM SICK!" Alfred pumped one fist into the air.

_We are sick,  
We are sick,  
We are sick, sick, SICK!  
Like, we're sociologically sick!_

Awful retching noises and moans sounded as the boys rolled around on the floor, faking all sorts of ridiculous diseases. Darting around two Jets who were clutching each other and wailing, Adam readjusted his imaginary glasses and turned to Yong Soo.

"In my opinion, this child does not need to have his head shrunk at all. Juvenile delinquency is purely a product of social disease."

Alfred paused in his writhing and choking to look up with a winning smile. "Hey, I got a social disease!"

He was silenced by another whack of the script. Adam smiled knowingly at the audience.

"So take him to a social worker!"

"Oooh, a social worker!" After a huge, pantomimed scuffle, Raivis found himself propped up on all sides by the other Jets and staring into Alfred's grinning face.

_Deeeeeaaaaar  
Kindly Social Worker!  
They say go earn some dough.  
Like be a soda jerker,  
Which means like be a shmoe!  
It's not I'm anti-social,  
I'm only anti-work!  
Glory-osky,  
That's why I'm a jerk!_

Raivis pushed Alfred away, sending him tumbling to the floor. "Officer Krupke, you've – "

"Nooo, stop! Hold on," Arthur shouted, waving an arm at Roderich. The music trailed off. "Higher, Raivis."

The freshman paled. "Do I have to?"

"Yes."

"But…it sounds so silly."

"That's the point!"

"Come on, it'll be hilarious!" Alfred loomed in closer, teeth bared in a wide grin. "Everyone's gonna love you for it. It's my favourite part of the song, and it's all thanks to you."

The other Jets voiced agreement. Raivis turned back to the production table, still looking pained, but Arthur just shrugged. Finally, Raivis nodded glumly, and everyone cheered. The boys scrambled back into position while Alfred laughed and clapped his cast member heartily on the back. Arthur could not help sensing that it was another 'score' for the jock in their unofficial competition for leadership. It irritated him.

Raivis patted his face self-consciously, as if that would relieve some of his embarrassment. Then he took a deep breath and began: in the highest, squeakiest tone he could muster. Roderich's backup music covered any voice cracking.

_Eeee!  
Officer Krupke,  
You've done it again!  
This boy don't need a job,  
He needs a year in the pen!  
It ain't just a question  
Of misunderstood!  
Deep down inside him,  
HE'S NO GOOD!_

"I'M NO GOOD!" Alfred whooped.

_We're no good,  
We're no good,  
We're no earthly good,  
Like, the best of us is no damn good!_

Vash and Adam grabbed their fearless leader by the arms and dragged him to the end of the line that the rest of the Jets were forming. Alfred staggered up, just to be pushed down the line along with the battered script, each boy bestowing an insult and a blow to the head every time he passed.

"The trouble is he's lazy!"

"The trouble is he drinks!"

"The trouble is he's crazy!"

"The trouble is he stinks!"

"The trouble is he's growing!"

"The trouble is he's grown!"

At the end, Alfred was shoved into Yong Soo's arms.

_KRUPKE, WE GOT TROUBLES OF OUR OWN!_

Alfred knelt at his feet, the others followed suit.

_Gee, Officer Krupke,  
We're down on our knees.  
'Cause no-one wants a fella with a social disease.  
Gee, Officer Krupke,  
What are we to do?_

Alfred suddenly got up, grabbed the script and finally got to take his revenge with a satisfying whack onto Yong Soo's head.

_Gee, Officer Krupke,  
KRUP YOU!_

The song ended to a smattering of applause. A small audience had appeared seemingly out of nowhere, thanks to the Shark boys who had been summoned to appear after the Jets rehearsal. A few of them looked rather envious, clearly wishing that they had a fun little number of their own. Arthur looked at HK.

"Ready?"

His friend stood up slowly from behind the table. "I suppose."

Arthur turned back to the large group of boys. "Right, everyone. I'm turning the rest of this session over to HK and Francis. They're going to teach you the choreography and stage combat for the Prologue and the Rumble -"

He was interrupted by a collective gasp, and excited chatter broke out. Some of the boys automatically began to roughhouse, throwing fake punches, pretending to strangle and catch each other in headlocks. Arthur banged his fist down onto the table.

"Stop that! Stop now! Listen up, all of you. Stage combat is serious stuff. It's not about beating each other up, it's not about being 'badass', the whole point is to make sure nobody gets hurt. You won't even be touching, for the most part. If this session has to come to an end because someone's got blood streaming down their face, the entire production will be in jeopardy. Do not ruin this for yourselves and your castmates. Pay close attention to what HK tells you, or else. Safety is the most important part."

There was a silence as the boys sheepishly broke apart. Arthur retreated behind the table, leaving HK standing alone in front of the group of boys. The sophomore glanced around, realizing that he was much shorter than most of the other people in the room.

"Ooookay. I guess I don't really have to give the safety lecture anymore then. Thanks, Arthur." HK scratched his chest self-consciously. "Um, yeah. Still, he's right. Even though we want to impress people in the audience with our sick moves, we also want to make sure none of you guys actually end up getting hurt. Think of how stuntmen are used to protect movie stars. They're not superhuman with bionic bodies, or anything, they just know how to avoid injury and look cool doing it."

His eyes darted around the room before finally settling on Alfred. "For example, Al did something like a backwards roll in the song. Not bad, but this floor is pretty hard, isn't it?

Alfred laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Kinda, yeah!"

"Thought so. Gymnasts roll straight on their spines because they will always have a mat beneath them. Actors don't always have the luxury; they might have to do stuff on wood or concrete. So we have to protect the spine." HK pulled a yoga mat out from beneath the table. "The only kind of protection I have right now is a yoga mat, which is really thin. So, we're going to have you roll off your shoulder and diagonally across your back. Be sure to tuck your head in to protect your skull. It's still going to look the same."

Alfred nodded enthusiastically, and after a few demonstrations from HK, began practicing his roll. At first, the other Jets watched respectfully and with great interest, but became restless after a few turns.

"Wait, what about us? Teach us something too! Like a roundhouse kick, or something!"

"We get weapons, right? I mean, Bernardo and Riff die by knives."

Francis was tying up his hair again. "You guys get to fight through dance. Today, HK'll work with Antonio and Alfred, and everyone else gets me."

Sadiq made the mistake of frowning. "Aw, that sucks."

He was startled when a ponytailed figure shot to his side. "Are you saying…you don't want to be with me?"

"No. I just wanted to learn some…"

"Then thank you, Mr. Adnan, for volunteering. You will be my first partner." Francis grasped Sadiq's wrist firmly and began dragging him towards the other side of the room, where Roderich waited patiently with his piano. The other boys followed suit, a few sniggering mercilessly.

Arthur snorted. "Well, I don't think we'll be able to make it to the fight sequence today anyway. The Prologue is pretty long," He told Maddie. HK had begun showing Alfred the moves of his fight, taking the role of Bernardo in Francis's place. Arthur observed them for a moment thoughtfully.

"You know, they had a point about the knives. When do you think we'll be able to start using them?"

Maddie pushed her glasses up and hefted the prompt book to a different page, near the beginning. "Sanun volunteered as props master. He wanted to do set design, but your 'minimal' look doesn't require all that much. When he complained, we gave him props. That was last week though, so I haven't even compiled a list yet."

"Well, it's two collapsible knives, at least. Maybe a few more just to be careful, and for show." Arthur leaned forward and searched the room with his eyes. "Where the hell is Antonio? He needs to learn this too!"

His stage manager calmly flipped the pages to find the contact master list. "Don't worry, I'll text him. Maybe something's up. Did you see him the other day? Seemed kind of down."

She began to type as Arthur scoffed loudly. "Antonio is the most carefree person you'll ever meet. Nothing ever fazes him. Trust me, I would know after all these years. He probably just forgot and is assisting Gillian Beilschmidt in some stupid prank."

Maddie carefully averted her eyes as she put down the phone. "Anyway, our costume designer says he's almost done with the preliminary sketches and wants to see you about budget soon. Apparently, these outfits are going to be absolutely -"

"Fabulous," Arthur said wearily. "As usual."

* * *

**A/N: Ending on a hint towards a new tech member! C:**

**I'm really changing a lot of the fic now. We're still trotting along the same plot track; it's just that I'm sacrificing the cheap laughs for character development. People tended to enjoy those cheesy one-liners, so I apologise if they will be missed greatly. Personally, I like where this is going much better. And I can't have my story to make love to the world for fear of getting pneumonia! /tips hat to Vonnegut**


	13. Chapter 13

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim.**

* * *

Feliciana loved her pyjamas. They were a pale, creamy yellow, the colour of freshly rolled egg pasta dough. Both the top and bottoms were decorated with a pattern of bright orange triangles, reminding her a little bit of pizza, along with small black ovals scattered in between, as if someone had sprinkled olives over it all. Around her neckline, a green fettuccine-like ribbon threaded through ended in a neat bow. Oh, now she was getting kind of hungry.

She lifted her hand and rapped smartly upon the door, an identical twin to the one next to it. Their house was cozy and narrow, but it compensated with three floors. The girls had the top floor all to themselves, sharing a balcony facing the street. When Lovina didn't reply to her knocking, Feliciana skipped through her own room and out the sliding door unthinkingly.

Freezing air smacked some sense into her as her bare feet touched down on the cold concrete. As much as she loved their design, the thin cotton pyjamas had no chance against an early February night. Yelping like a spaniel, she scampered towards the other side of the house and slammed a hand on the other door. Her toes curled up in an attempt to stay warm.

"Lovi!" Feliciana waved frantically. Her sister was hunched over her laptop, headphones plugged in. Lovina favoured a pale pink nightgown, shapeless and airy. Feliciana hugged her pizza-and-olive-dotted shirt to herself. "Lovinaaaa!"

She smacked the glass again, and Lovina finally glanced up. With one incredulous look, she yanked off the headphones, walked over and slid the door open. Feliciana shot inside and burrowed beneath the bedcovers. "What the hell were you doing out there?"

"You didn't answer the door!"

Lovina settled back into her chair. "You have your own room, you know."

"But I like it in here." Both of the girls were messy, but in different ways. Feliciana's side had posters and pictures tacked up everywhere, to the point that hardly any wallpaper was left to be seen. Her desk was cluttered with art supplies, loose papers, and small gifts or tokens from her friends. Lovina, on the other hand, was a packrat. Her bookshelves, already filled up to the brim, were also home to various little knickknacks – a button that had fallen off, a bottle of nail polish, hair ties and key chains. The floor was hazardous terrain, as Lovina often tossed things there and left them, from clothes to bags to even her crumpled _West Side Story_ script. Feliciana reached down from her perch on the bed and began leafing through it.

"How's your rehearsal stuff goin'?"

She wasn't looking up, so she didn't notice Lovina stiffen ever so slightly. "Fine."

"I'm so glad you joined!"

"Yeah, because you forced me into it."

"But you're making friends, right? Like, tell me what you think about them." Feliciana rolled over onto her back and smiled playfully. "You're the leading lady! And that guy, Antonio, he's the leading man…"

Her sister's face was like stone. "Uh huh. What do you want."

"I just met him the other day, is all. He seems pretty nice. Do you think he's cute?"

Lovina shot back, "Do _you_ think he's cute?"

"Um…he's…okay." Feliciana sat up. It would be very bad to have Lovina thinking that there was any rivalry between them, as that would be completely awkward and completely wrong. "Not my type. But you two would look good together!"

"In your dreams," Lovina grumped. She snatched the headphones up again, but Feliciana was there in a flash.

"Come on! Give him a chance," she whined, clutching the headphones.

"You're gonna break them!"

"You're gonna break him!"

Lovina laughed. Feliciana was so surprised that she let go of the headphones.

"He's not your type, so why do you think he's mine? Antonio's an idiot. I can't stand him."

But her tone was way too casual. A faint flush appeared on her cheeks. Feliciana frowned. "Be honest, Lovi."

"Are you calling me a liar now?" The smile disappeared. "Are you freaking serious?"

"No, I just think that we should -"

"Get out."

"I'm sorry! I just wanted -"

"OUT!" Lovina grabbed the door handle and yanked it open. Now her face was really red, and scrunched up as if she had eaten a lemon. Feliciana hovered next to the desk in a slight panic. Francis had said there wouldn't be a problem, that Lovina and Antonio were _totally into_ each other. And that was just two days ago. They hadn't even had rehearsal together since then, so what had happened?

As she exited meekly, Lovina left a few inches open to add some parting words.

"If you see his stupid ass again, tell him not to talk to me outside of whatever eyebrow freak makes us do, and I am not gonna be part of his skirt-chasing schemes. I mean, he's Francis's friend, Feli. What a creeper. I wish he'd just leave me alone."

The door swung shut in Feliciana's face.

* * *

"Antonio, Is everything okay?"

Roderich leaned forward, his hands on his knees. His friend averted his eyes reluctantly.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Well, your breath control isn't. You're dropping the energy at the end of each line. If it's some sort of intentional volume thing, stop. It's not working." Roderich softened. "Hey, look. Whatever's going on in your life, don't let it bother you too much. I know it sounds hard, but try leaving some of that baggage at the door of the rehearsal. You're doing well otherwise."

Antonio squirmed restlessly. "What if the thing that's bothering me isn't outside the rehearsal, but in it?"

"…Is it Arthur?" Roderich had already been hearing a few complaints about their taskmaster director. However, they hadn't been that serious, and most people did so in a begrudgingly respectful manner.

"Oh, no. You know what…forget it."

He was more than happy to. Roderich wanted no part in whatever petty drama was happening around him. It was disinclination out of sheer lack of concern, as well as laziness. He just didn't have the energy to get involved. "Fine. From the top, one last time for luck."

Antonio managed to rouse himself enough to sing along.

_Could it be?  
Who knows?  
There's something due, any day  
I don't know, right away  
Soon as it shows..._

_It may come cannonballing down through the sky,  
Gleaming inside, bright as a rose!_

_Who knows?  
It's only just, out of reach,  
Down the block, by the beach,  
Under a tree..._

_I got a feeling there's a miracle due,  
Gonna come true, coming to me!_

To Roderich's satisfaction, Antonio held the notes until the end. Antonio's head bobbed unconsciously as the music bounced to the syncopation.

_Could it be?  
Yes, it could!  
Something's coming,  
Something good.  
If I can wait..._

_Something's coming,  
I don't know what it is  
But it is gonna be great!_

_With a click,  
With a shock.  
Phone or jingle, door'll knock.  
Open the latch..._

_Something's coming,  
Don't know when, but it's soon  
Catch the moon, one handed catch!_

As the song progressed, he finally got into the emotional swell of the song, matching meaning to volume.

_Around the corner,  
Or whistling down the river!  
Come on, deliver, to me!_

_Will it be?  
Yes, it will!  
Maybe just by holding still,  
It'll be there..._

_Come on, something!  
Come on in, don't be shy,  
Meet a guy, pull up a chair!_

_The air is humming.  
And something great is coming!_

_Who knows?  
It's only just, out of reach,  
Down the block, by the beach,_

_Maybe...tonight?_

Antonio's voice wavered as it trailed off. When Roderich stopped playing, he lifted a hand in apology. "Sorry, I was running out of breath…"

"No problem. That was much better."Roderich turned to another tab in his binder. "You're done for today. Gillian and Lovina should be waiting outside. Can you call them in?"

"Ah…sure." Antonio opened the door and leaned out. "Gill! You guys are up."

He leaned back hastily as the girls entered the tiny practice room. Gillian slapped him on the shoulder, but Lovina drifted past him, mute as a statue.

"Great. See you, Antonio."

Antonio waved at Roderich. "See ya." He turned to leave, but paused in the doorway. "Oh, I almost forgot my, um…"

He glanced at the girls perched on two folding chairs. Gillian's was flush against the wall, closer to the piano, but Lovina was sitting closer, next to her. Everybody turned to see Antonio's books and bag piled in the corner. An awkward assembly line was created, from Gillian gathering the items and tossing them over to Lovina, who handed them over to Antonio, still keeping her vow of silence.

Antonio mumbled an embarrassed thank you and took off. Roderich was feeling a little impatient by this point.

"Did you listen to the song as I told you?" Nods all around. "Fine, then we'll just run through them once, and I'll give you notes and straighten messy bits up afterward. I trust both of you. Need a warm up?"

He started to play some scales before neither finished responding, so they jumped straight into the singing. Lovina knew that it had been awkward because of her. She was the one who was ignoring Antonio, and the bruise on his chin, now faded to a mottled yellow, was all her fault. She didn't care, she thought privately. The awkward part was more in part that Gillian was also giving her the silent treatment. Although Lovina had no problem with some peace from the other girl's incessant, narcissistic chatter, one would have to be really dense to think that it wasn't on purpose. Gillian was Antonio's friend, and now she was picking a side.

Lovina reminded herself that she didn't care. Gillian could joke with Antonio and make fun of Roderich without including her. She was fine with that.

"So remember, this is a conversation between your characters. Anita and Maria consider each other as sisters, and they'll tell each other anything," Roderich said to them. "Make as if you're best friends."

He didn't register the stony silence that followed this, as he was drumming out the opening chords.

_A boy like that,  
Who killed your brother.  
Forget that boy,  
And find another.  
One of your own kind,  
Stick to your own kind._

_A boy like that,  
Will bring you sorrow.  
You will meet  
Another boy tomorrow.  
One of your own kind,  
Stick to your own kind._

_A boy who kills_  
_Cannot love.  
A boy who kills  
Has no heart.  
And he's the boy  
Who has your love,  
And has your heart!  
Very smart, Maria, very smart!_

_A boy like that,  
Wants one thing only.  
And when he's done,  
He'll leave you lonely.  
He'll murder your love,  
He murdered mine.  
Just wait and see,  
Just wait, Maria, just wait and see!_

Gillian's eyes were casually downcast, seemingly focused only on the lyrics in her music. Lovina ignored her too.

_Oh no, Anita, no!  
Anita, no...  
It isn't true,  
Not for me.  
It's true for you,  
But not for me.  
I hear your words,  
And in my head,  
I know it's not smart,  
But in my heart...  
But my heart, Anita, but my heart!_

When Roderich looked over at them, he saw sheets of paper instead of faces. The girls made no attempt at engaging the other, even as their parts rolled into a counterpoint.

_A boy like that,  
Who killed your brother.  
Forget that boy,  
And find another.  
One of your own kind,  
Stick to your own kind._

_But my heart knows it's wrong,  
And my heart is too strong,  
For I belong to him alone,  
To him alone, one thing I know…_

_A boy who kills  
Cannot love!  
A boy who kills  
Has no heart!  
And he's the boy  
Who has your love  
And has your heart!  
Very smart, Maria, very smart!_

_I am his.  
I don't care what he is.  
I don't know why it's so,  
I don't want to know!_

Roderich stopped them there. "Okay, pause here. The counterpoint's tricky, I know. Gill, you're singing more or less the same bit, down to the lyrics and rhythm and stuff, but Lovina's is harder. Take a break while I work it out with her."

Gillian made a big show of tossing her music onto the floor and yawning widely, stretching out her body like a cat. Lovina's chin stuck out defiantly, still stubbornly ignoring her. Roderich, who couldn't care less about this, began to drill the notes with her.

Nobody could get bored more quickly than Gillian. Without really thinking about it, she watched Lovina struggle through the high descant. This was the girl that Antonio had a crush on. Gillian didn't really understand why, but she supposed she had to respect his feelings, or at least she had to in his presence. Lovina didn't seem like a very fun person. Gillian often saw her with Feliciana or her brother, Ludwig, almost skulking behind them reluctantly. Even now, her face was a mask of irritation.

Well, of course nobody wants you around if you're going to be so against everything, Gillian thought. Did she even have any other friends?

As Roderich yakked away about breath control or something, Lovina just looked even more sulky and alone. Gillian realised she almost felt sorry for her. Antonio and Francis had been her best friends since kindergarten, the first day of kindergarten too. Life would have been so incredibly boring without them. She leaned over and picked up her music, shuffling it to order on her lap.

It isn't their fault, Gillian decided, that some people needed all the help they could get. And Lovina was just so _damn_ lucky to have the awesome Gillian Beilschmidt around to fix her life.

* * *

Typically, Antonio was a big fan of big celebrations. During the holidays, he always got right into the thick of the festivities, whether they were decorations, food, or quirky customs such as strewing toilet paper streamers all over a certain tree at the Edelstein residence. That one was a great favourite of Gillian's, but Antonio dutifully did his part too.

In spiteof all of this, he was relieved that his birthday came by more or less uneventfully. When class was finished, Francis and Gillian seized ahold of him and they marched over to a local bakery-café located a few blocks away from school for a small, low-key party.

_Happy, happy birthday!  
And this is what we say!  
Happy, happy birthday,  
On this your special day,  
HEY!_

_Happy, happy birthday!  
May AAAAAAAAAAALL your DREEAAAAAAMS come TRUUUUUUUEEEEE_

Gillian and Francis exaggerated their swaying as they drew out that line, which resulted in Francis almost toppling to the floor as Gillian shoved him a bit too excitedly.

_Happy, happy birthday,  
From all of us, to you!  
WHOO!_

Antonio smiled as a server set down a lemony sponge cake, along with their respective beverages, onto the table. "Thanks, guys."

Gillian grabbed her milkshake and slurped it loudly. "Fran-fran, give him the presents!"

Francis was already dividing the spongy cake into slices. "You do it. They're in my bag."

She unzipped eagerly and began to pull out several small packages, some of them flat and slim, others round or knobbly. One of them rattled as she tossed it carelessly onto the tabletop. Antonio's curiosity was piqued. "And you couldn't just stick them all into a bag."

"I guess, but look at the designs we wrapped them in!"

Francis had placed slices into small, individual plates and passed them round. He picked up his coffee and took a genteel, dignified sip. "Alright, Toni. Open them."

There was a funny mug shaped like a milk bottle, Bruno Mars's new CD, and a book on the Age of Explorers, Antonio's favourite period in history. The rattling, round object turned out to be a kitchen timer. Gillian laughed as Antonio pulled it from the crumpled paper.

"See, now that's what a tomato looks like. And tell me, you think a girl is gonna want to be compared to that?"

"I told you, I wasn't really thinking about what I was saying!"

"Okay, okay," she said, but he knew that he was never going to live it down. "Anyway, can we talk about that right now?"

Antonio's stomach flipped uneasily. He avoided Gillian's gaze and stirred his hot chocolate diligently, letting the spoon clink loudly against the side of the mug. "Talk about what?"

"Let's talk about Lovina! Your favourite subject, right?"

"Well, not anymore." Francis turned a serious eye upon him too. "Toni, let's be honest. You're upset. But instead of pouting about how much your love life sucks, you need to take charge and start talking to her again."

"But…doesn't it make me an asshole if I keep on annoying her, after she tells me to lay off? I don't wanna be that guy who can't take a hint!"

His friends exchanged a glance. "This is so ironic, I can't even," Gillian said.

Francis sighed. "Yes, respecting her wishes is one thing, but taking a hint – that's where you're seriously wrong. Lovina likes you, but something happened to make her come to the wrong conclusion. So instead of running away to hide under a rock for the rest of eternity, you need to figure out what went wrong and fix it."

This came unexpectedly to Antonio, who accidentally sloshed some of his hot chocolate onto the table. "How do you know she likes me?"

"I just _know_." Francis tossed his head in his trademark sexier-than-thou (term coined by Gillian to describe the way he could be simultaneously snobby and attractive) manner. "Of all people, of course I would know."

Antonio poked his half-eaten slice of cake with a fork. "I…well…what if, what if she keeps on ignoring me and won't listen? 'Cause that's pretty much what's been happening, I mean I'm not trying anymore anyway though."

"There, that's the point," Francis said encouragingly. "You gave up instead of persisting. Go! Win her back! Show that love conquers all!"

He struck a dramatic pose and behind him, Gillian made a face before striking one herself as a parody. Antonio laughed. It was nigh impossible to stay down with these two around. Francis was pleased.

"Good! And our timing is perfect. Let's aim for the coming weekend."

"Why this weekend?"

"Hellooooo! Look at a calendar! Are you so out of it that you can't even remember the date? It's your freaking birthday!" Gillian picked up her phone and shoved it into Antonio's face. "Add two numbers! Do it!"

Understanding dawned over his face. "O-oh…but, that's so soon. I have no idea what I should…"

"Don't worry," his friend declared, snapping her phone shut with a flourish. "Just leave it to me! And Feli. I have the most awesome idea."

She explained it. It was awesome.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks again for sticking by! I'm having a lot of fun rewriting this. To me, it's a ****huge**** improvement from the previous iteration. Hope you guys think so too!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I hope people know when Antonio's birthday is and did the math! C:**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein.**

* * *

3:02 PM. The halls of Hetalia High were swarming with students, newly liberated from the clutches of class. Arthur waited in a doorway for the worst of it to pass instead of charging headlong into the fray. As he leaned against the frame and frowned, one particularly giggly gaggle of girls came waltzing by at what seemed to be a glacial pace.

"Did you get mine?"

"Yeah, I got four."

"Cool! I got a flower _and_ chocolate. Thanks, Fiona."

"Of course, you're my best friend."

"And look who one of these four people is…"

"Oh my GOD! Tim sent it!"

"That's soooo sweet!"

"I told you that he likes you! What are you gonna _dooo_?"

Arthur snorted and rolled his eyes. His ears were still pinging from their high pitched squeals. The student council had a brilliant scheme each year selling candy, roses, and the oh-so-cleverly named "Heart-o-grams" to the masses. Though he'd lost count of the amount of people who had passed him clutching some sort of card or gift by now, Arthur wished no part in it. Not only was everything so ridiculously sappy, he privately found it quite awful that some people required a stupid holiday to get off their asses and show some appreciation for their friends and partners. That's what it ended up to be, anyway. Forget the romance, he only saw people trying to one-up each other in presents and extravagance, and companies jumping on the chance to convince people to buy their goods. What annoyed Arthur the most was that people were willing to take the bait. Valentine's Day was still considered romantic.

By now, the floodwaters were down to a trickle. He strode down the corridor until he arrived at their main rehearsal room. Arthur already had a hand on the doorknob before realising that there wasn't anything scheduled today. The cast could have a break, Maddie and HK had suggested. They were already doing so well, it would be alright to give them an early start to their weekend.

He grumpily wheeled around and retraced his steps. So there wasn't even a distraction from the sickeningly pink and white streamers all over the place. Finally getting to his locker, Arthur spun his combination and swung open the metal door. A torrent of little red hearts cascaded from the opening and onto his feet. Arthur stared, his mouth dropping open in surprise. Were these all for him? In spite of the emptying halls, he heard laughter and whoops from behind.

"Look at Mr. Popular!"

"Never knew you were such a playa!"

Ignoring the catcalls, Arthur knelt down and began tidying up. He felt his cheeks burning, and made a point not to make any eye contact as he tried to scoop the individual papers altogether. The big question was, how in the world did they manage to get into his locker? One of the hearts slipped off the pile. He picked it up.

_Yo Artyfartypants! Feel lucky that you have been graced with a Valentine from the AWESOME me! - Gill_

He ought to have known. At some point in her many visits to the principal, Gillian had managed to swipe the master combination sheet and copy it. Arthur suspected that she'd had assistance from her friends – Francis got along suspiciously well with the attractive young receptionist at the office, who had a reputation for getting easily distracted. In spite of the dangerous repercussions an act like this might have created, the school was generally safe. Nothing was stolen, although Roderich found some unpleasant surprises waiting for him every once in a while. Gillian swore that she had destroyed the copy after getting the specific combinations she wanted, but Arthur had never thought that his might have been one of them.

_À mon Arthur chéri, bonne Saint Valentin! __Tu es dans toutes mes pensées…Tes sourcils, j'en rêve jour et nuit. Un cauchemar, J'avoue .xoxo_

Arthur rolled his eyes.

_Hey Arthur, thanks for being such a great director! Have a great Valentine's Day!_

_Roses are red, violets are blue. You deserve a break from all your hard work, it's true!_

_Happy Valentine's Day, Arthur! Take a break and relax today._

_HAPPY VALENTINE'S! Keep up the hard work ~ Fighting!_

There was one from almost every cast member in _West Side Story_. Even if some of them just had the simple three-word greeting and a signature, there were many with personalised and encouraging messages. Arthur struggled to keep the smile off his face. Maddie and HK, it had to be them, rallying the cast around to do such a thing.

Still, that being said…there was one cast member who he hadn't seen a heart from yet. He looked down at the floor.

There was a slightly crumpled up red heart at his feet, folded in half. Arthur knelt down. Inside was a hidden piece of paper, folded twice so that it could be cunningly concealed.

_Dear Arthur,_

_Happy Valentine's Day!_

_Anyway thanks for letting me do your musical thingy, it's been really fun! You're really good at directing. West Side is gonna be the BEST SHOW EVER!_

_Does this mean we're friends again?_

_Alfred_

Arthur was slightly aware at how forcefully his knees were pushing into the hard floor, but that he could ignore for now. A churning, hot sensation began in his stomach and began to rise, pushing up through his throat and threatening to reach his lips. Gulping down the sob angrily before it could erupt, Arthur closed his eyes tightly. Anger, sadness, whatever it was, he had to compose himself.

Somebody touched the back of his arm.

He slammed a hand against the locker in front of him, scrunching the valentine and sending a shock of pain through his arm. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

"Uh…"

Arthur turned around. Eyes wide, HK held up his hands, the universal sign of 'my bad'. His bag was swinging from one shoulder, almost slipping off, from when he'd jumped back in surprise.

Arthur blushed a deep red, guilt and embarrassment washing over him. The corridor was empty, all the other students having wandered off earlier. HK continued to stand there, an expression of mixed apprehension and concern.

"I," Arthur began. He was still on the floor, the little red heart clutched in his fist. He hadn't the foggiest idea how to explain himself. "It's…I just. Er."

It took a few moments before HK lowered his arms. Shrugging to push the bag strap back onto his shoulder properly, he offered a hand and helped Arthur get to his feet. Then, whilst Arthur stood there, dumbfounded, he pried open shaking fingers and extracted the valentine. HK smoothed it out, opened it, and began to read.

Arthur couldn't do much else but wait for a few seconds that seemed like forever. HK's eyes zipped back and forth quickly. To his credit, he said not a word when he finished, merely folding it back up again and pressing it into Arthur's palm.

"Put it away before you lose it," he told him. Arthur obeyed instantly, moving swiftly like on autopilot. HK waited patiently through the awkward silence.

When Arthur had finally finished adjusting his backpack straps, HK cleared his throat, almost uncertainly. "So, uh. Are you going home?"

His eyes darted around, distracted by a sense of shame for sounding hopeful at the question. Arthur barely noticed, his mind still preoccupied by the small red heart pushed beneath his books.

"Yeah. I'll write up the band call before I forget. And double check the props list. Find out what the costume budget is. He already bought all the material, did you know that? Didn't consult me at all. We'll have to schedule fitting sometime next week, then…"

Arthur babbled on and on, pushing aside his feelings again to focus on his work. HK followed him down the corridor towards the main entrance. When they pushed the doors open and stepped into the cold, Arthur sighed and tugged on his mittens.

"Alright. See you next week. Let's do an act one run through on Wednesday. I'll message you and Maddie about it."

"Bye." HK watched him march away towards the bus stop, then break into a run after one rolled up, spewing exhaust. After Arthur had scrambled on, the doors closing behind him, HK slowly made his way down the steps, mindful of the puddles.

* * *

Maddie was placing books and binders into her backpack when her ears caught the sound of steps coming towards her. Looking up, she saw Alfred ambling around the corner, heading her way and looking extremely pleased with himself.

"Hey, Mads! Happy Valentine's Day!"

She was instantly crushed into a warm embrace that left her gasping for breath.

"Y-yeah, you too."

He straightened up, but continued to hold on to her by the shoulders.

"You doing anything today? Got a hot date?" With a Cheshire grin, he winked as she blushed furiously.

"No...like that would ever happen." She tried to wriggle free, but it was like being in a death grip.

"Bullcrap, who wouldn't want to be with my adorable baby sister, especially when she looks just like me?" Alfred helpfully slammed her locker door shut before steering her away. "But I'm not complaining. Time for some serious _sibling_ love instead. You can go on a date with me!"

Maddie blinked, and suddenly they were halfway down the hall. She buckled her legs and shouted, causing him to bump into her from behind.

"Wait, I forgot my Geometry textbook!"

He wrinkled his nose. "Eww, Geometry. Tell ya what. I'll go get my car and you meet me out front, alright?"

"Okay."

Alfred sauntered off and Maddie retreated to her locker. She swung open the door and tugged the thick, orange book from the neat pile. It was heavy enough to make her stagger backwards, and the book flew out of her hands, pages fluttering loudly and landing on the floor with a loud thud. The noise echoed down the corridor. She winced. At least nobody was around to witness that.

"Whoa!"

Maddie winced again, with a little cringe thrown in as well. She knew that voice.

Gillian slid out from behind Maddie and reached down to pick up the book. Her silvery hair slipped over her shoulder as easily as water flowing over a rock. In that moment, Maddie became incredibly self-conscious over her own frizzy curls.

"Thanks." Maddie hefted it into her arms. The girls stared at each other for a few seconds.

"Right!" Gillian snapped her fingers. "This is Agent B coming into report that Operation Artyfartlentines has been executed, and probably was an awesome success. I dunno, didn't bother sticking around. I got other top-secret plans for today."

"Oh, okay! Thanks for doing that. I know it was kind of a lot to ask."

"No way, it was no problem. Even if his locker turned out to be kinda boring, just books and folders and stuff. Oh yeah, speaking of which…" Gillian began to rummage through her pockets. "Here you go!"

She thrust a small card into Maddie's hands. It was a simple Valentine's greeting featuring two plump yellow birds sitting in a tree filled with heart-shaped leaves. From the looks of it, it had been part of those store-bought sets, but Maddie didn't care. A Valentine was a Valentine.

"Happy Valentines!"

"Wow, thanks so much." Maddie knew she was definitely turning red again. "I'm really honoured, Gillian."

"You better be. Only four people got a Valentine card from the awesome me. Ludwig, Francis, Tonio, and you. You're the only girl, so I expect you to keep it better than the others!"

"Don't worry, I will."

"For my parents, I think I'll just buy them a cake or flowers, something a little bigger." Gillian tapped her chin thoughtfully. "And Roddy needs a really special form of affection."

Maddie grinned. "Then I think I better get going before you figure that out. I'd rather not be implicated, if you don't mind."

"Hey! I'm not going to do something too bad." Gillian snickered deviously. "But hey, smart move for you. Anyway, since I've got so many awesome plans to do. See ya round!"

Maddie was going to wave and turn around when suddenly the world when dark. Gillian had taken a leap forward to smother her in a big hug. "Bye!"

"Euhh…yeah, okay, bye."

Gillian snapped up the hood of her red hoodie and waggled her eyebrows mischievously. She didn't realize that she had left a poor girl catatonic in the middle of the school corridor as she darted away. Maddie stood there in shock for a few more minutes before she remembered that someone was waiting for her outside.

Thankfully, Alfred had his DS to his nose when she stumbled out of the building. She yanked open the front passenger door of the car and slid in next to him. He drove off towards the downtown area, chattering excitedly about a new burger joint he'd noticed advertising weekday specials.

Maddie could barely hear him. The one actual Valentine's Day card she'd received had been from the last person she was expecting. Well, not really. Gillian had always been pretty nice to her, compared to other people. It wasn't that others were unkind – oh no, that was extremely rare – but more that she seemed to make a personal effort to treat Maddie well. And did that _mean_ anything?! Maddie breathed in deeply. Gillian had said that she didn't give out too many Valentines. Then she'd put an emphasis on Maddie being the only girl to get one. So what did _that_ mean?!

"Hey, Maddie?"

They'd pulled up to a red light. Alfred glanced at her through his rimless glasses and fiddled with the radio knob.

"Yeah?"

"When you do get a hot date with some guy, tell me first, okay? I'm not letting any weirdo get near you."

"Um, okay."

"Good!"

The light switched to green and the car lurched forward again. Alfred hummed along to the music. Maddie couldn't help but notice that he was actually staying on pitch - being in a musical probably had helped him a lot.

She opened her textbook and looked at the card again. Gillian hadn't even bothered signing it. Perhaps it didn't mean anything – Gillian might have found the box somewhere and decided to start giving them out to her friends. And Maddie happened to be someone friendly, so why not? Her heart rate gradually began to calm as Maddie thought of other reasons to stop trying to analyze the gift.

By the time they pulled up to First Bunner Up, she'd calmed down considerably. Alfred hopped out of the car and excitedly made a beeline for the entrance. Maddie followed a little more slowly.

Just before she closed the door though, she quickly reached back inside. An unsigned card somehow found its way into her pocket. Maddie smiled and walked into the restaurant.

* * *

**A/N: I am quite proud of coming up with that burger joint name. If anyone's thinking of opening one, feel free to use!**

**We'll see our main characters again in the next chapter, I promise. Until then, feel free to dance around with all these sappy feelings…or gag, as it were. =P**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I loooooove this chapter. It's my favourite one yet! It's much longer (though some may feel good about this, since it could 'make up' for the last few chapters) and partially dedicated to Pieces of Sky! She's been waiting for this for quite a while C:**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein.**

**

* * *

**

Ludwig also had a hard time pushing through the crowds after school that day. If he didn't hurry, he'd be late for his shift at the copy shop. As a junior, he was fully aware of the college applications next year and didn't intend for his resume to be as empty as Gillian's was. Well, she did have some of that theatre stuff, but it definitely wasn't enough to help her grades.

But as soon as he stepped outside, he was bombarded by one particular Vargas twin.

"Ve...Luddy, where are you going?"

"I told you, Feli. I got a job after school."

"But it's Valentine's Day! Didn't you get the Heart-O-Gram that I sent you?" Feliciana stared innocently up at him.

Ludwig blushed and stammered, "Um...yeah, it was really nice. Thanks."

She clapped her hands happily. "Oh, I love Valentine's Day! And the Heart-O-Grams were so CUTE that I had to buy one for you!"

Ludwig couldn't help smiling at her enthusiasm. "Yeah, I'm really flattered that you thought of me."

Feliciana went on, not realizing he'd said something, "And Kiku, and Lovi, and Francis, and Gillian, and Antonio, and Elizabeta..."

His smile faded a bit as she continued rattling off names. Adjusting his backpack's straps, he descended the steps. "See you tomorrow, Feli."

"Wait!" She grabbed his hand, pleading with those huge puppy dog eyes. "But isn't Valentine's a holiday?"

He swallowed his laughter. "Not one that counts for a day off work."

"That's not fair!" she cried. Before he could do anything, she neatly plucked his cell phone from his pocket. "Then I'm going to make them give you the day off!"

Ludwig didn't answer. He was still recovering from the fact that Feliciana had just stuck her hand down his pants.

_OH. MY. GOD_.

But as usual, she was completely unaware of her actions, jabbering away into the mouthpiece.

"Ve...really, Mr. Gutenberg? Thank you so much! Okay, I will. Bye bye!" Feliciana proudly handed back the phone to the still-immobilized Ludwig. "He said you deserve a break! So you're coming with me!"

Dumbly, he nodded as she dragged him away. It was only ten minutes later when he realized he didn't know where she was bringing him.

"Um, Feli?" They were seated side by side on a bus heading downtown. "Where are we going? Is Kiku coming too?"

Feliciana finished retying her auburn ponytail and slipped her arm around his contentedly. "No, she disappeared with whatshisname. That guy who always falls asleep in Chemistry. I think she likes him! Anyway, there's a new gelato store on Curtis Street that I wanna try out! They're having a discount today for couples, so we gotta go!"

"Gelato in February? Are you sure it's not too co-" The meaning of her words dawned upon him. Couples?

He was speechless with shock once again as they exited the vehicle. Feliciana hardly noticed this, as her own voice filled the silence without a hitch. Ludwig jolted back to reality when she squealed and tugged on his arm extra hard.

"Wow, there's Kiku!" She waved excitedly. "Hey! We were just talking about you!"

A few feet away, the short Japanese girl turned towards them, startled. Heracles was standing next to her, and he leaned back to stare at the newcomers. Kiku blushed.

"Oh...hello, Feliciana-chan, Ludwig-san...happy Valentine's Day."

"You too!" Feliciana hugged her. Heracles blinked solemnly at Ludwig, nodding at him in greeting. Ludwig did the same. He always felt really awkward around that guy. Then again, he felt awkward around a lot of people.

Feliciana was examining the pet store window the other two had been looking through. "Aww, look at the cute little kitties!" She pointed at a small black and white cat. "And that one has a spot that looks like a heart! It's so perfect, I'm gonna name him Valentino..."

Ludwig was blessed with the ability to read the atmosphere. Feliciana wasn't. So when he could sense that at least Kiku felt embarrassed by their presence, she had no clue. He gently turned Feliciana away from cooing at the animals. "Weren't we going to some gelato place?"

Heracles tilted his head to one side. "Gelato? In the winter?"

Ludwig could only shrug as Feliciana skipped off happily. A puff of warm air welcomed them as they entered the gelato shop. To his horror, Ludwig noticed that the place was packed with couples and decorated with Valentine's Day streamers and balloons.

"Oooh, look at all the flavours!" Feliciana pressed her hands against the counter top excitedly. "Should I get Lampone Sorbetto, or Fior di Latte? I think I'm feeling fruity today...what do you want, Luddy?"

"Uh, I don't know. Chocolate?"

"Ve! You're so boring sometimes," she complained, poking his side. "You're getting Stracchiatella. And no buts."

Feliciana was sweet and adorable, but every once in a while that demanding side of her would surface. One could never tell with her, Ludwig thought as she marched him over to a small table in the corner. As they ate, Feliciana's eyes roved over the heads of all the others in the store.

"Look! And there's Elizabeta and Roderich!"

Ludwig groaned. Why were they bumping into everyone they knew? It was ridiculous. They weren't even near school. But he had no choice but to stay put as their friends approached them. Elizabeta smiled down at the younger couple.

"Having fun, I'll bet. Is the gelato good here?"

"Yes! It's so yummy!" Feliciana chirped.

Roderich spoke. "Hey, Ludwig. You still play the trumpet, don't you?" The blond boy nodded. "Great, want to help out with the pit band for _West Side Story_?"

"Uh, okay." It wouldn't hurt to have something musical on his resume.

Feliciana cut in. "Oh! I want to join too! I play violin!"

"Excellent. I'll look forward to seeing you both at the auditions. They're next week - I'll be posting up the call first thing Monday." Roderich and Elizbeta left them, joining the line at the counter.

Feliciana stood up, having demolished her dessert with incredibly speed. Ludwig was hardly halfway through. "I can't wait! Then we can be involved with the play just like Lovi and Gilly...won't that be fun?"

He tossed his unfinished ice cream into a trash can. Fun with Lovina, who was the most pessimistic and impolite person he'd ever met (she also had a vendetta against him, for reasons unknown to all), and Gillian, his infamously rambunctious and potentially deranged older sister?

"Yeah, I guess."

The ride back was uneventful, save for Feliciana's constant chatter. Ever the gentleman, Ludwig offered to walk her home, which was accepted with delight. They stopped at the gate, Feliciana still swinging their connected arms back and forth.

"Ve...it was so nice being with you today..."

"Um. Yeah. It was."

"You work too much!" She gazed accusingly up at him. "I never see you anymore."

"B-but you know junior year is the most important one in your high school career!" he protested. "It's the only one that universities see the full grades for, and I've got a lot of APs too so I have to make sure I pass the exam-"

He was interrupted by Feliciana (who hadn't been listening, as always) throwing her arms around his neck. Hoisting herself up on her toes, she then kissed his cheek. Feliciana Vargas, the most beautiful girl in the entire eleventh grade (Lovina never smiled enough to contest her for the title), had pressed _her _lips against _his _skin. For the third time that day, Ludwig Beilschmidt was catatonic.

Feliciana smiled with satisfaction as she rested her forehead on his shoulder. "You should stay with me a bit longer, Ludwig..."

All he could do was stare down at her. She laughed and pulled him towards the front door. "Gillian and I have the best Valentine's Day plan! You can help too!"

Ludwig's mind slowly returned from its visit to Happy Rainbow Clouds and Ponies Land. "You made a promise with my sister? About a plan? What plan?"

"Yup! We have a plan to make Lovi like Antonio. Well, she probably already does because he's so nice, but she's mad at him right now and we don't know why." Feliciana carefully pushed the door open. "We can't let Lovi know you're here until Gilly calls me for the signal, okay?"

Avoid Lovina as long as possible?

"Sure thing," he said.

* * *

Said other Vargas sister had accepted the day off from Arthur and Roderich's grueling rehearsal schedule without hesitation. Except when she got home, she realized that going back to her old lifestyle of lazing around for hours after school now bored her. Which was a crazy notion. She couldn't even fall asleep, though the armchair was as comfy as ever. Lovina ended up surfing TV Tropes all afternoon.

She was seriously considering submitting Alfred under the category for 'Heroic Wannabe - Real Life' when Grandpa Roma poked his head through the door.

"All alone on Valentine's Day? But why, Lovi?"

"Because SINGLE AWARENESS DAY is the perfect time to take a break. All that mushy romantic stuff is a load of bull."

"Aww..." He sighed, disappointed. Then suddenly, his face brightened. "What about that Antonio boy? "

Lovina slammed her laptop shut. "How the hell do YOU know about him?"

"Feli told me all about your little romance..." Grandpa Roma ruffled Lovina's hair lovingly. "He sounds cute! Why don't you send him a card or something?"

"What romance? There is no romance! Geez, we're just acting in a stupid play!" Lovina slapped her grandfather's hands away furiously, blushing with the same amount of intensity, if not even more. "He's a manipulative bastard, and I absolutely refuse to participate in any of this stupid Valentine's crap!"

Grandpa Roma chuckled and kissed her on the forehead, not noticing her panicked reaction. "Suit yourself, sweetheart...hopefully, Feli will be home soon. You two make your own plans for tonight, because I've got a hot date!" He floated out the door, humming absent-mindedly.

Lovina blinked, taken aback at how much she'd let slip with her response. Luckily, Grandpa Roma was the most oblivious person she knew, next to Feliciana. Also, the prospect of her grandfather having a date on Valentine's Day surprised her. Well, not the fact that he landed one - he didn't look bad at all for a 68 year old. It just meant that everybody in the family had something to do except for her. She sighed and continued clicking links. After a while, she thought she heard the front door opening and closing.

"Feli? Is that you?" she yelled, too lazy to actually leave her seat to go look. The only reply was frantic footsteps and badly muffled giggling. Lovina rolled her eyes, assured that her sister was back, and resumed reading.

By seven, it was quite dark out and Lovina was wondering what to do for dinner. If Feliciana was still home, then she could probably convince her to make pasta for the both of them…

The sound of her bedroom door being slammed open caused her to jump a foot in the air. Whirling around in annoyance, she was greeted with the sight of Feliciana glowing with anticipation, and Ludwig, looking apprehensive, hovering behind her.

"What is HE doing here?" Lovina screeched.

The shout seemed to fly right over Feliciana's head, and therefore straight into Ludwig's face.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Lovi! You have to come see this!" Feliciana firmly took hold of the older twin and hauled her out onto the balcony that connected the sisters' rooms. Ludwig started after them, but Lovina twisted around to shoot daggers at him.

"Don't you touch ANY of my stu-"

"Lovi! Lovi!" Feliciana was pulling hard on Lovina's arm, pointing over the railing and down into the road below. "Look!"

Reluctantly, Lovina peered over. The dim streetlights cast odd shadows everywhere, so she didn't know exactly what she was supposed to be looking at. After a minute or so, she slowly noticed that in the middle of the road, there huddled a dark mass resembling three teenagers.

Lovina turned to look at Feliciana, frowning, but the other girl was now waving excitedly at the three figures.

"She's here, go go go!"

"What the fuckin' HELL is going on?"

The three lumps shifted and Lovina distinctly heard barely-concealed whispers waft up towards her.

"Commence Operation AWESOME!"

"Lovina!"

"Whatever! One…two…"

The peaceful winter evening was completely shattered by the following serenade.

_LOVINAAAAA!  
I JUST MET A GIRL NAMED LOVINA!  
AND SUDDENLY THAT NAME WILL NEVER BE THE SAME TO MEEEEE  
LOVINAAAAA!  
I JUST KISSED A GIRL NAMED LOVINA!  
AND SUDDENLY I'VE FOUND HOW WONDERFUL A SOUND CAN BEEEEEE_

It was Antonio, flanked by Francis and Gillian. They were singing their hearts out up towards the song's new namesake, who was gaping in horror. She tried to run back into her room, but Feliciana held on to her tightly - there was a lot of hidden strength inside that little girl.

_LOVINAAAA!  
SAY IT LOUD AND THERE'S MUSIC PLAYING!  
SAY IT SOFT, AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE PRAYING_

But Francis and Gillian didn't bother singing softly. The two were belting as loud as they could, in a challenge to drown out the other. Although he was standing between them, Antonio didn't seem to notice how contradictory the lyrics were getting, and continued happily. Four houses down, a dog began to bark.

_LOVINAAAA  
I'LL NEVER STOP SAYING LOOOOVIIIIINAAAAAA!_

As soon as it began, the song abruptly ended. Lovina could only stand there in shock as Feliciana cheered and applauded wildly. Even Ludwig, now on Feliciana's other side, was wearing an amused expression. Gillian bowed and Francis blew kisses. Antonio smiled up at them.

"Can you come down, Lovi?" He held up a bag decorated with little hearts. "I have a present for you!"

"Don't want it!" She screamed, just as Feliciana cried out, "She'll be there right away!"

Once again, Lovina found herself being dragged through the house by Feliciana - she WAS actually quite strong. Ludwig followed, not having anything else to do. When Feliciana flung open the front door, they were treated to the sight of three Bad Friends beaming at them. They stepped over the threshold without waiting for an invitation, and the small room became crowded very quickly.

Gillian gave Ludwig a 'nudge' - meaning more of an elbow to the stomach - and grinned deviously at him. "Have a good Valentine's, bro?"

The younger Beilschmidt flushed red and his eyes darted to the ceiling. "Uh...yeah..."

His sister cackled with delight and threw her arms around him. Feliciana's eyes sparkled with tears of joy as she surveyed the messy group.

"Ve...It's so nice to have so many people here!" She grabbed Francis's wrist and started pulling him towards the kitchen. "Let's all have a Valentine's Day party! We can make pasta!"

Her cousin gently tugged his arm away. "Thanks Feli, that would be magnificent, but I wouldn't want to leave my date hanging."

Antonio looked quizzically at his friend. "Didn't you just come from a date?"

Francis laughed. "But of course! What better way to celebrate the holiday of love by spending it with more than one special person?"

"You're kind of a dog," Lovina muttered.

He shrugged. "Oh, I know." Then with a wave of his hand, he stepped out and closed the door.

The remaining group stood silently for a moment. Then Gillian turned to Feliciana.

"Hey Feli, did you say you'd make us pasta?"

"Yes, yes! Wanna help? Come this way!" She seized Ludwig's arm and pulled him towards the kitchen. Gillian sauntered after them, glancing over her shoulder to wink at Antonio and Lovina.

They continued to stand there awkwardly for a few more seconds. Then Antonio nodded towards the living room.

"Can we go in there?"

Lovina grudgingly led him in, and they sank down side by side onto the couch. Antonio's smile reappeared.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Lovi! I got this for you!"

He held out the bag. Lovina reached out for it when he suddenly yanked it away.

"Wait! I forgot something important."

Lovina fumed inwardly as Antonio turned his back to her and made a big show of rearranging the contents. If it was going to be hers, what was taking so long? She didn't want to admit it, but she really wanted her present now. Curiosity was getting the better of her, since it was a fairly large bag.

"Okay! Now you can see!" Antonio proudly handed the bag over. It was quite light. With slightly shaking fingers (WHY were they shaking?), Lovina slowly pulled the top folds apart and stared.

It was a plushie. A bull plushie. Lovina would have never thought that such a big dumb animal could ever be so adorable. It was a rich brown color with creamy horns and a pink ribbon around its neck. What's more, the bull held a tomato in its mouth, which was what Antonio was probably fixing up earlier.

"His name is Señor Toro! Do you like him?"

Lovina didn't reply, but pulled Señor Toro out of his bag and touched his velvety nose. This toy was definitely made for snuggling. The fur was the softest fuzz that she could stroke forever. She took the tomato out of Señor Toro's mouth.

"What's this got to do with anything?"

Antonio's green eyes shone with delight. "I picked both of them because they remind me of you!" He pointed at the bull. "Señor Toro because he is so cute, but he's tough." Then he pointed at the tomato. "That one, because I know you love tomatoes! And you look like one when you blush!"

Lovina felt herself doing just that. Antonio scratched his head and glanced away.

"Even if you don't want to be with me..." he said softly, not looking at her. "Maybe he can be your friend instead."

Lovina felt her stomach churn with guilt at those words. She wanted to say something, but her brain pulled a complete blank. So she just clutched her gifts and blushed (like usual) when Antonio finally looked back and smiled at her again. They were both brought back down to Earth when a resounding crash resonated from the kitchen.

"We're okay!" Gillian's voice rang out.

Feliciana's face came into view as she peeked in at them.

"The pasta's ready!" she managed to call out happily before running back to the unsettling noises of glass and ceramics being carelessly handled.

Antonio stood up and held his hand out to Lovina. "Smells good. Let's go!"

She stared at his open palm. After a few seconds, Antonio sadly dropped his hand and left the room. Lovina stayed put, still holding onto Señor Toro tightly. Realizing this, she threw the toy across the room. It bounced off her favorite armchair and hit the floor, rolling over a few times before coming to rest.

Lovina got up and headed towards the kitchen. Two steps from the doorway, she stopped and turned around. Señor Toro was lying on his side, looking for all the world like the loneliest toy ever made. Lovina sighed. Then she walked over, tenderly picked the bull up, and carefully placed him on the armchair before finally joining the others.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for keeping Feli and Ludwig in the very very distant background until now. I do find them adorable, but much harder to write. They're canon and ridiculously obvious, but...I still find them hard to write. Maybe it's because Feli has such a specific personality that screams Cloud Cuckoolander (though I feel she's probably just Obfuscating Stupidity), while Ludwig is the Only Sane Man. And since I'm not quite as sane as he is, I find it hard to put myself in his shoes.**

**Gelato flavours:  
Lampone - Raspberry  
Fior di Latte - Sweet cream, basically  
Stracchiatella - Chocolate chip**

**I got the idea of Señor Toro from a fanart on dA, where adult Antonio gives child Lovino a bull toy to play with while he's gone, and Lovi talks to the bull about his fear of something bad happening to 'Tonio...d'awwww.**

**I'm thinking of a phrase. It starts with 'rate' and ends with 'review!' Guess what it is?**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Ahhh, I loved those last two chapters so much. For those who were disappointed that 'nothing' happened between Lovina and Antonio, all I have to say is: **_**A Midsummer Night's Dream**_**, Act I, Scene I, Line 134. **

**Now back to rehearsal! *Arthur cracks whip* Sing louder, my minions!**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim.**

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**

Lovina could scarcely believe her own voice. This was by far the stupidest song in the history of musical theatre, if not all the world – well, that little ditty about hamburgers Alfred had been bleating all throughout the last rehearsal could give it a run for its money. The problem about THIS song, however, was that SHE was the one required to sing it.

Roderich peered over the sheet music, a little concerned. Arthur sat next to him, also staring at the girl standing in front of them, the colour on her face rivaling one of Antonio's beloved tomatoes. The rest of the Shark girls hovered behind her.

"Lovina, do you mind…getting into the song some more?" Arthur asked. "You're supposed to be, er, happy."

She glared. "Why?"

"…Because you're in love?"

"No, I'm NOT!" She screamed, causing the girls around her to jump a little.

And awkward silence followed as everyone stared at her in bewilderment.

"Uh…he means that Maria…is in love," Roderich said. Lovina blushed furiously once again and looked thoroughly embarrassed. Behind her, a Cheshire grin lit up Gillian's face. It was a look that Roderich was all too familiar with, and he didn't like it at all. "Look, you're not a bad actress by any shot. Why don't you act a little like…" He cast around in his mind for somebody who would actually sing such insipid lyrics. "…Feliciana, for example? Like how she's always happy and jumping around."

An expression of the most incredulous disdain was all he got back for an answer. Arthur sighed. "Well, we've done a lot so far. Good job, everyone. Take a fifteen minute break."

Still twitchy from being compared to her sister, Lovina continued scowling as she wrenched open her water bottle. She was taking a long and much deserved drink when she overheard one of the chorus girls talking to Clara.

"Hey, didn't you go out with Antonio Carriedo last year?"

After a few seconds, Lovina realized she'd slopped water all down her front. Damn these stupid water bottles.

Clara sat back in her chair, twirling her stud earrings absentmindedly. "Yeah, I did. For about three weeks or so."

"Why did you guys break up? He seems so friendly and nice…"

"And that _ass_."

Giggles abounded and Lovina, against the protests of her mind, found herself joining the circle. Gillian stood right across from her, arms folded and not saying a word.

Clara shrugged. "That's exactly his problem. He's just this dopey, nice guy. Sure, he's really cute, or whatever, but just…wasn't into anything. You know how every year at swim gala, he and Arthur have their stupid challenge…" She glanced over at Lovina. "In grade ten, Arthur broke his 100 metre freestyle record, and 'Tonio's been trying to redeem his pride ever since."

"It will never happen," declared said champion, who happened to be walking by at that moment.

"Anyway," Clara continued, pausing to stretch her legs. "I kinda had this really shallow crush on him after seeing him in swim trunks. I mean, who wouldn't? Somehow it got around, and everyone was bugging him to ask me out…" She sighed again. "And that's probably the only reason why he did it, because he's just a frickin' nice person who'll do something if it will make someone feel better. He actually didn't pay much attention to me for the rest of the time after that."

The girl who had asked the first question nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, he's so cute, but never really pays attention to anyone."

Lovina frowned, and nearly opened her mouth to protest. Antonio never left her alone, even after she had _slammed him into a wall_. Clearly, these people didn't actually know what he was like. Meaning, she quickly reminded herself, an annoying butthead who poked his nose into her business way too often.

"Anyway…" Clara finished her story. "Nothing dramatic happened. I got over him in like, two weeks and spent the last one trying to find a way to tell him. And when I did, he really didn't care either. I almost wondered if he was gay or something."

"Really?" Elizabeta was suddenly at her side, eyes gleaming with interest. "You think so?"

"Nope!" Gillian chimed in. "Definitely not." She looked up and stared pointedly at Lovina.

Elizabeta looked disappointed. "Aw….okay." She motioned towards the other girls, drawing them into a tighter clump. "But hey, speaking of gay guys, there are a few people in this very show that I have suspicions about, and every rehearsal I've been watching carefully. One vibe I'm REALLY getting right now is fro- "

"Break's over! Back to work!" Arthur, the epitome of perfect manners, grabbed Elizabeta by the shoulder and started pulling her away from the others, effectively preventing her from revealing any of her 'suspicions.' "We've only choreographed and blocked half this song, and I've got something fairly complicated coming up when the rest of you join in."

Lovina slowly walked away to put her water away in her backpack. As she zipped it up, she was still thinking about Clara's anecdote.

* * *

The rest of the blocking didn't take that long, and soon enough Arthur was herding them out of the classroom and yelling at the boys skipping in for another session of stage combat. Lovina knew who was going to be walking through the door at any moment. She couldn't stop her stomach from churning as she picked up her backpack and edged towards the exit, clutching a small parcel in her hands.

Dodging a poke from Yong Soo, she spun quickly out into the hallway, accidentally crashing into somebody else.

"Watch where you're going, you stupid basta-" Lovina's eyes widened considerably. "…Oh."

Antonio shrugged and for a second, looked like he was going to smile at her, but he stopped hesitantly. "It's okay…I'm sorry?"

She just continued gaping at him with a mix of nervousness and awkwardness. Antonio waited. The seconds ticked by. When Lovina didn't move an inch, he sighed and began walking past her into the room.

"Well, see you later Lovi-"

A hand shot out and grabbed his sleeve. Antonio turned, but Lovina continued staring straight in front of her, her trademark blush creeping over her face again.

He blinked. "Uh, do you want something?"

She just tugged fiercely on his sleeve, forcing him to walk backwards to face her once more. Not looking up, Lovina shoved the parcel into his hands.

"What's this?" She continued to glare at the logo on his shirt silently. "Is it for me?"

"No, you dumb fuck, it's for Francis. Of course it's for you!" She snarled suddenly, causing him to jump a little in surprise. "Why the hell else would I be stopping you right here?"

"But why?"

She reddened again, and her hands flew up instinctively to cover her face. It was the MOST. ADORABLE. THING. EVER, but Antonio now knew better than to comment on it.

"Feli told me it was your birthday last week…" She pressed her knuckles against her cheeks even harder. "And you fucking guilt tripped me with your stupid bull…"

Her eyes followed his fingers as they quickly turned the simple wrapping paper into shreds. Antonio gasped happily at the result.

"_101 Recipes With Tomatoes_? Ohmygod, Lovi, how did you know?" He squealed and began crushing the girl in his suffocating grip. "That's so cute of you! Thank you thank you thank you-"

"GYAHHH!" she squawked, struggling to break free. "You're killing me, idiot!"

Antonio let her go, grinning ecstatically at her. "You got a present for me, that's sooo sweet…"

"Well, yeah. Don't get used to it," she muttered, folding her arms. Seeing that moronic smile actually made her feel good, better than she had been in a while. Feliciana would have called it something dumb, like a cheer-up charm. Stupid alliterative catchphrases.

Antonio hugged the book to his chest, looking like the silliest, yet happiest person to walk the earth. "So…Lovi…"

"You're never going to listen to me when I tell you to stop calling me that, right?" she groaned.

The fact that he ignored this proved her correct. "Are we okay now?" He held out his hand. "Because, um…well, we can be friends. That's nice, isn't it?"

Lovina felt like turning around and running away, but as she hesitated, she realized that having a perpetual cheer-up charm was probably better than sticking around with the potato bastard all the time. But that would mean she'd have to hang out with the potato bastard's insane sister…even with that in mind, she accepted the handshake.

Except it wasn't a handshake. The moment her fingers touched his skin, Antonio suddenly pulled her forward, grabbed her waist and spun her around in the air.

"Yay! Ohmygod Lovi we're going to have so much fun!…"

"HOLY SHIT, PUT ME DOWN!" she shrieked. Once she had lost contact with the floor, her arms had instantly grabbed onto the closest thing – meaning, Antonio's head. She could feel his cheek pressing into her shoulder as she had no choice but to lean her weight against him.

He acquiesced to her request, still holding her close and beaming. Lovina could feel his stupid happy happy yay-ness – or body heat, but it weirded her out to think of it that way – exuding from his skin like a suffocating aura. Before she could curse him out for being too damn spontaneous again, the door open and HK poked his head out at them.

"You know, they don't actually begin fighting at the rumble until Tony gets there…" He trailed off as he took in their positions. "Ah. Am I interrupting something intimate?"

"What?" Lovina squeaked, shoving Antonio away. "The hell kind of words you're using there, Wang…"

HK blinked, unfazed by her comment. "I just want to get going with rehearsal."

Antonio picked up his fallen bag cheerfully. "Yeah, I'm ready! Bye Lovi, see you tomorrow!" Shooting her one last look of pure adoration, he darted into the classroom. HK watched him in mild amusement.

"Never seen anyone so excited to watch his best friend die," he quipped before shutting the door.

* * *

Roderich was free to leave soon after Lovina left, since there was no singing in the rumble. For the time being, they were using the Broadway cast recording to choreograph these instrumental numbers, but Roderich really needed to find musicians fast. So as soon as he walked away from the doors, the first thing he did was to start posting a sign on every bulletin board:

_WEST SIDE STORY BAND CALL_

_Play an instrument? Play it well? Then come and join the musical ensemble for West Side Story! Contact Roderich Edelstein at (email here). If you agree to join, you will have to be willing to devote lots of time to practice both with the rest of the group and on your own. The score of WSS is not simple. The number of instrument required are as follows:…_

When he was finished, he began making a mental list of the people he wanted to contact personally. Ludwig and Feliciana, of course, but Mr. Weiss had also suggested Wang Tian Wei, Lily Zwingli, and Jon Haakon…Roderich was deep in thought as he left Hetalia High, not noticing the gentle falling of snowflakes as he began his journey home.

* * *

**A/N: 'Hamburger Street' is probably the dumbest song in my music library. But I love it anyway. Even when it comes on and I ask myself, "Why do I listen to this again? It's a frickin' ode to **_**burgers**_**. Wow."**

**Antonio is a very kind and friendly person. So everyone thinks he's 'nice.' But 'nice' is a pretty shallow word, and only after you hang around someone a lot do you notice other more descriptive attributes such as 'caring,' 'patient,' or 'persistent.' **

**Holy crud on a cracker, I know that present is cheesy as hell. But how else can we describe any cute Spamano moment? **

**R&R if you think Elizabeta's onto something! Gosh, what a yaoi freak =D**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: So, this chapter has a character that I've never written before in detail. He turned out to have some…arguably crude language. It's still funny because he's ridiculous, but I'm just giving you a warning ahead of time.**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.**

**West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim.  
Daria belongs to Glenn Eichler, Susie Lewis Lynn and MTV.  
Marvel Comics and DC Comics belongs to themselves, I'm assuming…**

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**

"Act one complete run through, no stopping?" Lovina groaned. "I smell disaster."

"Really? All I smell is Francis's deo," Gillian remarked. She turned and wrinkled her nose at her dance partner, who looked rather affronted.

"Gilly, it's actually okay to be hygienic. There's nothing wrong with making yourself look…or smell presentable," he sniffed. Leaning over, he smiled at his cousine. "Come on, Lovi. We've all been working pretty hard. I actually think that this will be a good run today."

Antonio beamed at her. "Yeah! I can't wait to watch the opening scene with the dancing and fighting…"

She sighed and leaned back against the table leg. The four of them were sitting on the floor in front of the director's table. Ever since Lovina had agreed to be 'friends' with Antonio, he AND the other two never gave her a chance to have a moment to herself. They didn't have the same classes, but always, always in the hallways or by her locker or the cafeteria would one suddenly appear to start yammering away about some ridiculous notion or the other. Once, Gillian had even attacked her with a surprise hug as she changed in the locker room for PE. Thank God that she had brought extra pants to school that day.

But being with them meant that she didn't HAVE to be with Feliciana all the time, and by that admission, the potato idiot as well. Lovina couldn't help feeling pleased about that last one.

Anyway, the place where she definitely couldn't escape their presence was rehearsal, which happened practically every day, now. Just over a month left to learn everything, and Arthur was panicking. So that's why she was sitting there, next to her 'brother' and 'sister-in-law' and 'lover'-

LOVE INTEREST. She meant to think LOVE INTEREST. Gillian noticed the familiar shade of red gracing Lovina's features, although she hadn't even been involved with their conversation for the past minute.

"Yo, Lovi. What's up with the blushy blush?" she teased, poking the other girl. "You, of all people, would definitely like _Daria_. You're just as misanthropic as she is, if not even more so…"

A loud thump that seemed to derive from directly above their heads startled Gillian quiet.

"Alright, let's get going!" shouted Arthur. "From the top, Jets and Sharks get ready for your entrances for the Prologue. We'll still use the cast recording for that one, but all other songs have got to be completely memorized. Sing loudly and clearly!"

Francis got to his feet. "That's me!" He gave them a wink before heading towards stage left to wait for his cue.

Maddie clicked play, and the distinctive opening chords blared out of the speakers. As she watched, Lovina couldn't help but feel kind of impressed at the staging that Francis had put together so well. Lovina couldn't believe she actually remembered it, but Gillian's phrase of 'manly, dancey ass-kicking' was pretty damn appropriate. Alfred and Yong Soo, guys she typically considered as bumbling dolts, never looked so well coordinated – well, at least off the basketball court.

Antonio smiled when he saw the expression of surprise and awe on Lovina's face. She spent so much time looking unimpressed, seeing her captivated by anything was so endearing. Gillian caught his eye and they shared a knowing look.

By this point, the first scene had begun, with the two gangs getting uppity with the policemen. Mathias didn't notice how the crowd of boys that he was berating were actually staring past him at the bigger, more frightening figure behind him.

"Which one of them clobbered ya, A-Rab?"

Alfred darted forward. "As a matter of factuality, sir, we suspicion the job was done by a cop."

Ivan beamed, happy to get to his line. "Impossible!" The tone was completely off, sounding far more cheerful than shocked, but the gang members shivered anyway. Mathias cleared his throat nervously.

"Didn't nobody tell ya there's a difference between being a stool pigeon and cooperatin' with the law?"

"Didn't nobody tell Arthur that Ivan's a creepy bastard who can't even act?" whispered Lovina to Gillian. The other girl shrugged.

"Didn't nobody tell YOU that you can't say no to Ivan Braginski?"

"Touché."

After Ivan left the stage, the rest of the run progressed smoothly. The 'Jet Song' was ridiculously loud, Antonio always sounded good during 'Something's Coming,' and nobody got kicked in the face during 'Dance At The Gym.' Lovina knew that it was just a run-through and the vast majority of people in the room were actually onstage with her, too busy to notice whether she'd flub anything, but she couldn't help feeling nervous. She squirmed next to her place next to Sadiq.

Thankfully, the scene went on fine. She said her stupid sappy lines, Antonio said his equally stupid sappy lines, though they sounded exactly as if he'd thought of them himself. Francis came and yelled at Antonio, Sadiq dragged her offstage…Lovina plopped back down onto the floor, breathing a sigh of relief. As she settled herself in, she suddenly realized she was due back on again. For the love of tomatoes, three minutes was one hell of a crappy break. Now for more stupid, sappy lines.

"No. He is like Bernardo, afraid. Imagine being afraid of you!"

In a sense, this was very true. Antonio was fairly harmless, as far as Lovina was aware of. The scariest thing she'd expect was him hugging the life out of you, maybe.

He smiled back at her. "You see?"

She gave his jaw a sharp poke, and could see Arthur sighing and rubbing his forehead out the corner of her eye. What? The stage directions said to touch his face, and that counted. "I see you." That was the cue for Roderich to begin playing.

_Only you,  
You're the only thing I'll see forever.  
In my eyes, in my words  
And in everything I do,  
Nothing else will do,  
Ever…_

_And there's nothing for me but Maria.  
Every sight that I see is Maria…_

_Tony, Tony… _Lovina glanced over Antonio's shoulder to see Francis and Gillian grinning at her. Francis gave her a thumbs up and Gillian mimed fist pumping and cheering. Lovina automatically frowned.

Antonio blinked at the sudden random change in expression, but continued.

_Always you,  
Every thought I'll ever know,  
Everywhere I go, you'll be!_

_All the world is only you, and me!_

Roderich's fingers flew over the keys, the music changing from the gentle legato of the intro into _West Side Story_'s most famous melody.

_Tonight, tonight,  
It all began tonight.  
I saw you and the world went away.  
Tonight, tonight,  
There's only you, tonight,  
What you are, what you do, what you say…  
Today, all day I had the feeling_

_A miracle would happen,_

_I know now I was right!  
For here you are,  
And what was just a world is a star!  
Tonight!_

Antonio reached over and took her hand. Lovina realized that he hadn't done this ever since the very first read-through. Now he looked almost hesitant, as if he was afraid of making her angry. Whatever, she was okay with it now…because they were acting, okay? It made sense for Tony and Maria to hold hands. It was their frickin' duet!

_Tonight, tonight,  
The world is full of light.  
With suns and moons all over the place.  
Tonight, tonight  
The world is wild and bright,  
Going mad, shooting sparks into space!  
Today, the world was just an address,  
A place for me to live in,  
No better than alright…  
But here you are, _

_And what was just a world is a star  
Tonight!_

The music quieted down. Lovina started drawing back. "I can't stay. Go quickly."

"I…" Antonio didn't let go of her. "I love you."

Lovina stiffened and her mind completely blanked. When she came to hours (seconds, really, but it felt like hours) later, she opened her mouth to say "Damnit, Antonio, you're too good at this acting shit" but was quickly reminded that the song wasn't over.

_Goodnight, goodnight,  
Sleep well, and when you dream,  
Dream of me…  
Tonight._

The scene ended with tumultuous applause from the other people. Lovina had completely forgotten about them. Then, startling all, the door was dramatically flung open.

"Oh, em, gee, that last note there was like, so high, it was like McKey Sullivan in seven inch stilettos!"

Heads turned to stare at a fairly short boy with shoulder length, straight blond hair who had struck a pose against the still open door. Lovina couldn't help staring at the outrageously hot pink scarf carefully draped over his shoulders, and the bright green skinny jeans tucked into grey and mauve suede boots. Francis winced at the odd clash of colours.

Elizabeta squealed. "Feliks! Oh my god, I LOVE your new boots!"

"I know, right? They're like, so a-may may."

Lovina turned to Antonio, thoroughly confused. "What the _fuck_?"

"When he says that, it means 'amazing.'"

Arthur groaned audibly before shouting, "Okay, right! If you're not onstage, go to Feliks so he can get your measurements. Do this in a QUIET and orderly fashion. No, not you, you're a Shark and it's the 'America' scene next!"

Everyone else who had been sitting on the sidelines began wandering over to the newcomer, so Lovina decided to wait a little bit. At least until Antonio grabbed her arm and started dragging her along.

"Yow!" She scowled at him, but he was actually ready with an excuse for once.

"You're the heroine of the show! You definitely deserve a pretty costume, Lovi -"

"And that would make you the what, my stupid hero? Who DIES in the end, should I remind you?"

"Who the hero what now?" Bad choice of words. Alfred instantly popped up between them. "What are you guys talking about?"

Lovina groaned and shoved him away. By then, they'd arrived at the small crowd surrounding Feliks, who had completely ignored Arthur's commands and was loudly explaining his costume ideas to Toris, who was nervously throwing glances at the performers every five seconds.

"So, like, I was totally shocked when I heard that Gillian Beilschmidt was Anita. I was like, holy poo on toast, really? That girl is supposed to be the sexiest character in the show, and Little Miss Albino over there doesn't even like, seem to realize she's GOT a vajayj-

"Feliks, please!" Toris pleaded. He looked over at said cast member, who was laughing loudly at Elizabeta. "I have to be in the scene after this song, and they already started…"

"Oh my god, for Antonio, I'm SO gonna give him like, the tightest pants EVER, because there is no, flippin', way I'm going to pass up a chance to show off DAT _ASS_…"

Lovina's fists clenched instinctively at that one. Antonio didn't even realize his butt was being discussed, as he had found himself deeply immersed into a debate with Alfred over whether Marvel or DC superheroes were better. Lovina wondered if he even realized that people talked about him that way all the time.

"….And like, this Lovina chick, who the hell is that? Vargas…I guess she's somehow related to Feliciana? Well anyway, her costume is going to be like, my absolute masterpiece with the dance dress. Next to Gillian's. I still believe that Anita is totally the real sex goddess of _West Side_, so that incredibly unrefined tomboy is just gonna have to suck it up..."

"Feliks, I gotta go," Toris whispered hastily as the Jets began to settle into their positions on the false stage. Feliks looked disgruntled at not having someone to gossip to, but Lovina took the moment to get her costume fitting over with.

"Hi. I'm Lovina. Yes, Feli's my sister."

"Oh!" Feliks eyed her critically. Lovina glared back and folded her arms over her chest. "She's…definitely curvier than you."

"Yeah? Well, she's not here, so deal with it."

"Yeah, but don't you find that girl's tits so like, absolutely ridic?" A tape measure magically found its way into Feliks's hand, and he flicked it open with a flourish. "But no worries, let's get on about you, darling. Your costume is def obvy the most important here and I swear that you will look like a million dolls. Now, it's easy to look like a million slutty dollars, but apparently we're like, supposed to make you look all naive and innocent…"

Lovina began tuning him out. It was hard to understand Feliks anyway, as he abbreviated too many words too often. Soon enough, he was scribbling down numbers in his notepad, still chattering a mile a minute.

"So I was just like, screw you, beyotch, I am awesome blossom fabulous fantastic." Feliks snapped his fingers for emphasis with each adjective. "And there is seriously no contest in that, which is how I got the last ticket. God, that line was like, so absolutely craycray. You're done now, babe. Totes!"

Not bothering to reply, Lovina walked away, all too ready to sit down. But no, now it was the bridal shop scene with Antonio. Damn. Rest was nowhere in sight today.

* * *

**A/N: Writing designer!Feliks was super fun. Actually, just writing him in general is super fun. I get to use all the weird slang I hear people use that always requires a little thinking before you understand what they're talking about. This way, I don't have to type 'like' all the time, but we can still get his flighty, trend-chasing behaviour =D**

**Marvel vs. DC? MARVEL, for sure! Also, I always thought that Lovi and Feli are remarkably similar to Daria and Quinn Morgendorffer. A crossover fanart is in order!**

**R&R, please :3  
**

**Other note: I am going to participate in NaNoWriMo this year. I known about it for about two years, but finally feel like I can tackle it – now that I've actually been doing creative writing regularly. This story is original and has been sitting in my stories folder for YEARS in the form of a very detailed outline. Wishing only the best for all other writers embarking on this arduous journey with me!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Sorry for the 'late' update! Today was busy 'straight down,' to use a Cantonese term, so I arrived home much later than usual. Also, today (well, yesterday, it is now shortly after midnight) is the first time that I've failed to reach my daily word quota for NaNoWriMo TT-TT**

**This is another chapter where I indulge in one of my other favourite pairings. But don't worry, Lovina and Antonio actually show up for a fair bit of time in this one :3**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim.**

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"The day is over, the jail is open, home we go!"

"You go, querida. I will lock up."

"Aw, Lovi, you called me querida!…but I'm a guy, so it should be querido."

"I'm just running my lines with you, bastard!" Lovina glared at him as they walked down the hall together towards rehearsal. "And I don't even know what that means."

Antonio handed back the script to her. "It means sweetheart, darling, love…won't it be funny later in this scene when you guys have to correct my Spanish? Don't tell her, but Gilly is pretty bad at other accents."

"Whatever, like I care." Lovina opted to ignore the first part of Antonio's reply completely. "Gillian isn't even remotely good at half the things she thinks she is."

Lovina kicked in the door to the rehearsal classroom, more out of habit than from any real anger. They were last to arrive, and Arthur, still in his nervous and tense state, jumped up at the sight of them.

"Finally! Do you know how long we've been waiting?"

Antonio peered at his watch. "Um, it's only 3:04…"

"Yes, so every little bit counts. I really can't handle any delays now. Just do it, please."

Lovina stumbled a bit as Arthur gave her a hard shove towards the makeshift stage – not unkindly, but out of impatience – and consequently, almost fell. Antonio quickly caught her and helped her up. For the first time ever, she saw a flash of anger cross his face. It was nothing like she'd ever seen before, nor would she have expected it from such a normally laid back and pleasant person. Lovina found herself feeling deeply disturbed…by both Antonio and Arthur.

The latter looked absolutely murderous as he paced up and down in front of the director's table. Maddie was practically hiding behind her clipboard, and even HK seemed slightly wary. Roderich, a safe distance away at his keyboard, had his nose buried in a sheaf of papers. Arthur scowled at him.

"Couldn't you do that later? I JUST said I don't want anything cutting into rehearsal time."

The brunet looked up slowly. "I'm finalizing the band list."

Arthur just groaned and rubbed his hand down his face. "Later."

Roderich quietly placed the pages behind the sheet music. Arthur turned to the rest of the assembled students, who had been cowed into silence at his demeanour.

"What are you all waiting around for? 'Somewhere.' I don't want to see anyone sitting down and not ready for their cues. Antonio. Your line."

Everybody automatically scattered, not wishing to be on the receiving end of their director's moody wrath of the day. Her heart pounding with fear, Lovina nearly got swept away offstage with the rest of them, but Antonio pulled her back safely.

"We'll be alright. I know it. We're really together now."

Lovina could feel Arthur's scrutinizing gaze as she replied. "But it's not us! It's everything around us!"

"Then we'll find someplace where nothing can get to us; not one of them, not anything. And…"

_I will take you away, take you far, far away out of here!  
Far, far away til the walls and the streets disappear_

_Somewhere there must be a place we can feel that we're free,  
Somewhere there must be a place for you and for me!_

The choreography/blocking that Francis and Arthur had come up with after that point was for Antonio to take Lovina's hand, and they'd run around the stage as if making an escape from the restricting world of street gangs. However, Lovina couldn't keep up and one leg knocked hard against a prop, a wooden crate, causing her to go crashing down onto the floor.

Roderich stopped playing. "Are you alright?"

"Mmf. Just perfect," she grunted as Antonio helped her stand. Arthur stalked up to them.

"What is wrong with you?" He looked around at the others. "What's up with EVERYONE today? Did I miss some notice that we're all going to screw up?"

"Hey!" Instantly, Antonio was between them, the pitch of his voice just slightly higher than a growl. Two pairs of glaring green eyes in a venomous lock. "What the hell is wrong with YOU? It could have happened to anyone. She could have been seriously hurt!"

"And speaking of everyone, we haven't even done a single damn thing yet!" Gillian shouted from the sidelines. Others voiced assent.

Francis walked over and placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "Something bothering you?"

All he got was an angry shove.

"I can't take this anymore," Arthur breathed. Lovina wouldn't have believed it, but it almost sounded as if he was nearly in tears. Ignoring the calls of indignation and concern, the tall senior strode out the door and slammed it shut behind him.

For a few moments, the room was shocked into complete silence. Then, chaos erupted as everybody began chattering excitedly about this recent turn of events.

Francis turned his attention to Lovina, who was now sitting on the crate and being cared for by Antonio.

"Lovi, are you hurt?"

"Fuck off."

"Ah, nothing's wrong, then."

Meanwhile, the stage manager was feeling completely flustered as two vivacious teens vied for her attention.

Gillian plopped into the seat next to Maddie, leaning in very, very close. "What the hell was up with that? Do you know?"

In front of her, Alfred also stared into her face, hands planted firmly on the table. "You don't need me right away in this scene! Let me go after him, I'll get him back!"

"Umm, I don't think that would be a good idea…" Maddie quickly looked around for HK, hoping he could provide support. As she turned, she saw him quietly slip out the doorway as well, gently closing it. "Oh, HK already went, so it's okay, Al."

Her brother looked disappointed. Gillian tugged on her sleeve again. "Maddie, Maddie. Tell us what's up with Eyebrows. It's obviously not to do with us."

The smaller girl twisted one finger around her hoodie string. "I don't know if I should…"

She soon realized that practically everybody in the room, not just Gillian and Alfred, had now quieted and was crowding around the table. Maddie took a deep breath.

"He finally got replies from some of his uni apps."

A murmur of understanding and apprehension rippled through the group.

Gillian scooted a little bit closer. "And?"

Maddie sighed. "Rejected from Julliard, NYU Tisch, Brown…" Gillian let out a low hiss, wincing a little bit. "Don't know if any more came. He's still waiting on a couple of UK schools." Maddie looked earnestly at the faces staring down at her. "Don't go spreading it around, okay?"

Once again, there was silence as everybody digested this piece of information. They all knew that Arthur had only the biggest ambitions. After a short space of time, Francis cleared his throat.

"It's useless to just stand around, then. We don't know if he's coming back, but let's just keep on going."

People began wandering off, talking quietly amongst themselves. Maddie let out a long breath. She really did hope that the news wouldn't spread for Arthur's sake, though that was a fruitless wish. Everybody always ended up knowing anything that happened in a few days. Maddie was so immersed in thought that she didn't realize that Gillian was still sitting next to her.

The pale haired girl picked up the pencil and began doodling on the prompt script. "Artie's pretty broken up over it, huh? That's so weird, though. He usually gets such killer grades."

"He keeps on trying to get into drama programs, that's the thing. He doesn't really have a lot of things he can mention on his resume outside of school, and didn't have the time to go over and do a live audition for some of them."

"Yeah, I guess that sucks." Gillian didn't move from being sprawled out over the table. When she was finished, she absentmindedly traced a line up Maddie's arm with the butt end of the pencil, grinning up at the younger girl, who suddenly felt herself beginning to blush. Thankfully, Francis came over and plucked it from her hand.

"Gilly," he said sternly. "Please."

She slowly got to her feet, stretching a little. "Geez, man. I always hate it when you randomly get all mature and stuff." But heeding his words, she tossed a small wave over her shoulder at Maddie before joining the others.

Maddie picked up her eraser to get rid of Gillian's drawing. It was of a small bird (wearing a Viking hat, of all things?) and two equal signs. After a moment, she realized they were really a pair of very thick eyebrows. Over the two of them, Gillian had written:

_CHEER UP EMOBROWS_

In spite of herself, Maddie laughed.

* * *

Arthur cursed under his breath as he tripped, stepping hard into a slush puddle that ended up all over his lower leg. Spring sucked, he concluded. The weather was bipolar and he felt sure that he was going to catch that cold that had been nipping about the school recently. Letting out a shuddering sigh, Arthur flopped down onto the cold metal bench out in front of the parking lot. He often told himself to leave all baggage at the door to the rehearsal space, but today, it was just impossible. How was he supposed to lead a bunch of ragtag crazy kids when he wasn't even sure about his own skills?

Quietly pulling a pack of cigarettes out from his pocket, Arthur was about to light one when he heard a flat voice coming from behind him.

"Kirkland fail. Last year, you told me you'd stop."

Arthur scowled and tossed the cancer stick into another pile of melting snow. "Not today, HK. Okay?" He felt a slight pressure on the back of the bench as HK leaned against it, hands in pockets and no sympathy on his face. Then again, there never was any emotion or such on his face.

A few seconds of silence passed before Arthur felt the tips of two fingers on his shoulder. HK was quietly walking his fingers up his neck and into his hair. Too upset to do anything about it, Arthur just sighed and closed his eyes again, feeling HK's hand gently ruffling his hair.

"You're funny."

"Funny how?" Arthur's eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.

"You're so sensitive." HK lazily drew little circles over Arthur's forehead with his index finger. "Take that knee-jerk reaction you get to Alfred all the time, for example. He's all into the overblown image of your typical, larger-than-life superhero, and you say you reject that. When you really actually want to be the perfect archetype of a romantic anti-hero. Who, of course, secretly want to be one of those superheroes."

Arthur turned to glare at HK, who was still wearing the same slightly-bored expression. "Does this have a point?"

"You're a total drama queen."

The blond snorted and slouched down in his seat. "Well, perfect, since that's what I intend to do with my life." He paused, remembering the letters from the day before. "Or intended."

A shadow crossed above him and his green eyes flickered up, startled when they met dark brown ones as HK leaned over, arms pressed against the bench's back.

"And, you flip out over tiny insignificant details such as getting approval of some school, or being near a particular jock. What makes it funny is that you forget that schools are inherently academic institutions, not artistic ones, and the jock in question is ultimately well-meaning and harmless." HK dipped his head slightly, and the jagged locks of hair nearly brushed Arthur's upturned face. "Also, you forget that some people don't mind hearing about your melodramatic issues. And possibly have suggestions on how to deal with them."

For the next few minutes, the boys didn't move, even though a slight breeze caused the black strands to dance lightly over Arthur's nose. Then suddenly, as if some silent signal had been given, they moved at the same time to an upright position. Arthur turned and began walking back into the school, HK following wordlessly behind him.

* * *

Francis glanced at his watch for the seventh time in the past half hour. It was really all he and Roderich could do with the absence of both director and assistant director, to run through the song a few times, polishing mistakes in choreography and such. Maddie and the prompt script had been truly helpful. Sometimes, people forgot just how important the stage manager was to a show.

The door creaked open and all the noise ceased as everybody turned to stare at Arthur and HK returning to the room. Not looking at anyone else, HK automatically slipped back into the seat next to Maddie and Arthur just surveyed the rest of the room, his face the very image of calm.

"Sorry about that. It won't happen again. Lovina, are you alright?"

She nodded mutely. Antonio still had one arm protectively wrapped around her shoulders. Lovina felt his fingers press around her arm even more, though ever so slightly.

"Good. Once more from the top, then you can all go," he said. With that, he walked around the table to sit down at Maddie's other side.

Roderich looked at Francis, who just shrugged. Lovina looked at Antonio, who also just shrugged. Gillian looked around, but failed to catch Maddie's eye, as she was digging around in her backpack. She shrugged anyway and resumed her position.

* * *

**A/N: Aww :C Don't worry, Arthur. I got rejected from my top choice too…but I got my second, which turned out to have a program I prefer much, MUCH better than my first one. Also, our quidditch team totally kicked their butts last week. 210 to 20, it was TOTALLY AWESOME. Can't wait until the next game!**

**UKHK is not a popular pairing, I know. And I suspect that most of the people who support it are just like me: people who've actually lived in HK. But hey, I think there's a lot of historical and cultural evidence to this pairing :3 He was the last major British colony, and was actually pretty reluctant to go back to China. The British Empire took very good care of him, too…and personality wise, they balance each other out pretty well too. In my opinion.**

**So, I hope another slight stray away from our lead couple hasn't bored anyone. R&R, I implore ye!**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Sooo. I seem to be losing readers? After Valentine's Day, looks like people lost interest and have stopped reviewing…I really hope that just because Lovi DIDN'T jump into romantic overdrive over a bull plushie, people were that disgruntled enough about it to stop reading :C **

**This month is proving to be SUPER hectic for me though, so hopefully it's just that =D Honestly, I can't wait until November 26, when things will start to slow down . Pretty sure I won't finish NaNoWriMo this year, fell really behind this week.**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim.**

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Lovina poked the pile of food on her plate unappreciatively with her fork. Grandpa Roma might have learned this dish from his new friend, but she sure as hell wasn't going to eat it.

"I HATE potato salad. And this sausage smells funny."

Feliciana, on the other hand, had nearly finished demolishing her second plate already. "I love it! It's called wurst. Ludwig has it for lunch all the time. He lets me have some, and sometimes we trade!"

Grandpa Roma laughed affectionately and leaned over to pat her on the head. "It's so cute that you still trade lunches!"

"You mean, it's so grade school," grumped Lovina. Staring disdainfully at her meal, she began concocting a plan to sneak some salami away from the fridge, along with the pita bread and tomato sauce, and maybe she could make a mini-pizza…

Feliciana's voice suddenly cut into her thoughts.

"Oooh, look at this, Grandpa Roma!" Feliciana had gone out of the room, but now came running back with a large, rolled up poster. "I volunteered to design the poster!"

_Hetalia High School presents:_

_WEST SIDE STORY_

_Book by Arthur Laurents  
Music by Leonard Bernstein  
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim  
_

_Directed by Arthur Kirkland_

_Playing April 12-14, 8 PM  
April 14, 2 PM_

_$10 for students, $15 for adults_

These words were superimposed over the silhouetted image of a crowd on a black background. The right side was depicted in varying shades of red, mostly dark, while the left was coloured in blue. The people were shown to be squaring off in a fight. But in between them, two purple figures held hands in a light grey spotlight, with a miniscule gold heart beating in each chest. Frowning, Lovina peered closer at them.

"Feli, you idiot! Why the hell did you put my haircurl in? Now everyone knows that it's me!"

"Ve…but they'll know anyway, because you're the main character," Feliciana replied, shrugging.

Grandpa Roma gave Lovina a big hug, ignoring (like usual) her squawks of protest. "This is soooo exciting! I can't wait to go! You'll be so cute and I can finally meet Anto-"

"GRANDPA!"

"-nio," he finished, not noticing the scream that just rocked the entire house. "Ahh, if only your mother could be here too…"

Feliciana perked up at this. "Ve…really? Wait! Didn't she say she would come back by then?"

"No, she said she'd be back by the BEGINNING of May at the earliest," Lovina sighed. Nonetheless, her sister had already scooted her chair back and was heading up the stairs.

"I'm going to email her right now and tell her all about it anyway!"

Lovina shrugged. It wouldn't hurt, she guessed. Casually, she stood up and began walking towards the stairs as well.

"Lovi, you haven't finished your dinner!"

She groaned and leaned against the doorframe. "I don't want it."

"Now, you can't just go to sleep on an empty stomach…it's not healthy. Come back and finish this."

"Can I eat something else?" Lovina sulked as she reluctantly plopped back down into her seat. Grandpa Roma pushed his chair next to her.

"But why should you when you have yummy potato salad?" He scooped up some of the sickening mess into a spoon and held it out to her, his grin reminding her of a particular green-eyed idiot. "Here comes the aeroplane!"

"For fuck's sake, Grandpa, I'm not a little kid anymo-" Lovina received a mouthful of potato as she opened her mouth to protest.

"Wasn't that delicious?"

"NO!"

Grandpa Roma simply beamed at her and picked up the fork. "Now for the wurst!"

"DAMNIT, GRANDPA!"

* * *

Roderich sat back, stretching his arms. His fingers felt pretty sore from pounding the keys for the last…wow, three hours. Three hours of just ploughing through the ENTIRE freakin' score of West Side Story.

"Good work, everyone," he said. "That was a really impressive run through. I think next time we meet we'll focus on the really important numbers – the dance heavy ones – such as…" He flipped through his hefty conductor's tome. "Prologue, Dance At the Gym, America, Tonight Quintet, The Rumble, Cool, and Somewhere. That's a lot, actually, so let's stick to the first act, meaning up to Tonight Quintet. See you all on Thursday."

He wasn't sure if he actually saw it, but it seemed as if the group of students in front of him all breathed a collective sigh of relief as they began reaching for their instrument cases. The air was filled with the noises of scraping chairs, shuffling papers and dismantling woodwind and brass instruments when Arthur sidled into the music room.

"How was first rehearsal?"

"Pretty good. Great, even," Roderich replied. "They ALL had practiced at least a little before coming here…getting them to performance level might actually be doable in a month."

"Really? That's such a relief. I feel bad about not reminding you about getting the band together earlier."

"Nah, it's fine." Roderich hesitated, and then slowly turned to look up at Arthur. The director shot him a funny look, but suddenly tensed as he noticed the flash of pleading in the violet eyes.

"Arthur…"

"Yes?"

"…We don't have a percussionist. And we need two."

Arthur groaned. "Oh, no. No, no, no, no. I told you before. Having him around would be utter chaos, at least for me. He'd make it his sole purpose to make my life hell…and he doesn't even go to this school, so is that even allowed?"

"He's going to end up here soon enough already. We desperately need somebody to give us a steady rhythm. Come on, aren't you one of those people willing to suffer a little for their art?"

Frowning, Arthur didn't reply, his brows knit tightly as he weighed the pros and cons. Finally, he sighed.

"Fine, but I'm going to regret it."

"You won't." Roderich handed him a rather fat binder. "This is his stuff. Give it to him tonight."

* * *

Two hours later, Arthur was sliding the trapdoor to his room open. Automatically, the previously muffled noises of crashing and clanging burst through his eardrums. Tossing his heavy backpack up the hole first, Arthur dragged himself into the noisy space.

"Peter!"

His younger brother sat at the drum kit, twirling his sticks expertly. He'd heard him, of course, but deliberately flicked his right wrist instead, smashing a wooden tip down onto the open hi-hat.

_SCHVANG!_

"PETER!"

The noise was instantly stifled with the simple tap of the left foot. Peter turned around, smirking triumphantly at his older brother.

"What do you want, jerk?"

Arthur grimaced. "Your help."

Peter instantly jumped up, forgetting that his feet were both on pedals, and thus the hi hat and bass drum both clanged and thumped very loudly.

"You need MY help?" Peter grinned with glee. "Hah! I knew it, one day you'd come crawling to my feet begging me for my super cool skills!"

Arthur rolled his eyes and pulled out the binder, handing it to him. "This isn't an opportunity to muck around. We need percussionists for _West Side Story_, so I'm volunteering you. Email this guy, Roderich, and he'll tell you everything. I expect you to be on your best behaviour, and show professionalism at all times…"

Peter snatched up the binder and began leafing through it. "Alright, alright. Wait, this can't be done with one person. I can't play the kit and do chimes simultaneously."

"Right. Know anyone else who does percussion?"

Peter craned his neck to peer behind Arthur. "Yep. What do you say, Marie-Lise?"

Arthur started in surprise and twisted around to see a cheerful, dark-skinned girl with two long pigtails standing next to the trapdoor. She smiled and shrugged. "That would be cool! I've been kind of nervous about high school…so making friends would be nice."

Peter sat back onto the drum kit stool thoughtfully, causing the seat to swing from side to side a bit. "Say, good idea. I remember when Arthur first started going; he was always coming home all weepy and saying the people were so mean…"

Arthur suppressed the urge to strangle the kid. "ALRIGHT. Both of you, make yourselves known to Roderich because I know next to nothing about the workings of the pit band, got it?"

Marie- Lise nodded earnestly as Peter let out another whoop. "Yes! You won't be breathing down my back all the time! This is so excellent!"

Arthur snorted. "Roderich still answers to me, so technically I'm still the boss around here." He picked up his backpack, ready to spill the contents on his bed, but paused.

"How long are you two going to be crashing about up here?"

Peter handed the binder of sheet music to Marie-Lise. "I don't know. Forever, maybe?"

"I need to work. I have an essay and a mock exam tomorrow."

"Well, tough! Don't you want us to practice your musical crap?"

Arthur sighed, dragging the bag across the floor again towards the trapdoor. But it wasn't a bad idea. Perhaps putting two storeys between him and his brother would finally give him some peace of mind.

* * *

**A/N: This one is very short, but that's only because I was GOING to merge it with the one right after, but that would have made it just way too incredibly long! So yeah. Two short chapters.**

**I've never been in a pit band which is why I didn't depict the actual rehearsal…Sorry to all band folks who may have been looking forward to it. I've only been in normal bands/orchestras that didn't accompany anyone. But, I DID play drums for jazz in middle school, so at least I didn't have to make up crap for Peter.**

**I miss the reviews, please respond! ^-^**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Thanks for the responses, everyone ^-^ That was a LOT more than what I expected. Seriously. I hope I didn't sound whiny, and it IS true that November is an awful, awful month…everything's due, essays and tests and end of term performances and even auditions! I haven't been able to TOUCH my NaNo story since last week…luckily, there was a time earlier in the year when I wrote way ahead on WWS C: So we'll be releasing on time as always.**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim.  
'Dancing Queen' belongs to Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, and Stig Anderson.**

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The next day, Lovina entered the cafeteria in a slightly foul mood, to make an understatement of it. That morning she'd had an argument with her grandfather about the contents of her lunch, which was, as dinner was before, mostly consisting of potato and pork. She sat at the corner of an empty table, glaring at her lunch bag. Wouldn't it be nice just to have her own way, for once? Especially today, which happened to be…

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LOVI!"

Lovina yelped as two people hug-tackled her from behind. When she finally surfaced, gasping for breath, the first sight that greeted her was Francis, looking highly amused and carrying a box.

"Oh great, that means that THESE people are…" Lovina pushed herself out of the tangle of arms around her. "…psycho chick and tomato bastard."

Antonio looked pretty ridiculous, his eyes misting over as he leaned against the table, resting his chin in one hand. "Ahh, Lovi, you should be happy on your special day!"

"So! How old are you?" Gillian questioned, leaning in close. Lovina wrinkled her nose and pulled away, straight back into Antonio's arms.

"She's seventeen, a sweet seventeen," he cooed as he squeezed her tight once again.

"GYAHH! I can't breathe, assface!"

"'Tonio, if I were you, I'd take that as a compliment. You have a great ass," Francis remarked as he set the box down in front of Lovina. "Happy birthday, Lovi. Mama put extra work into this one."

Lovina watched him untie the strings, struggling to mask her anticipation for another of her aunt's cakes. Gillian, meanwhile, had burst into loud, obnoxious song.

_YOU ARE THE DANCING QUEEN,  
YOUNG AND SWEET,  
ONLY SEVENTEEEEEEEEEEN!  
DANCING QUEEN,  
FEEL THE BEAT OF THE TAMBOURINE!  
WHOA YEAAAAAAAAH!_

Lovina groaned and covered her ears. Tina suddenly ran up to them, clapping her hands in excitement.

"Oooh, I love that song!" She and Gillian danced around the table. "Berwald's parents play it all the time…"

On cue, her boyfriend popped up nearby, looking slightly mortified. Francis looked up from the cake with a grin as Arthur approached them.

"Berwald, my parents want to know if you have time to watch Peter this weekend as I'll be going to…" He noticed the cake. "Say, what's that for?"

"It's Lovi's birthday," chirped Antonio, who still had his arms around her waist. He pinched her sides slightly and she twitched spastically.

"Don't DO that, you moron!"

"Ohhh! Lovi, you're ticklish?"

"No! I just….DON'T!" She screamed and began beating her fists against his chest, though the dopey fool still sat there grinning at her.

"Happy birthday, Lovina," Arthur managed to call over her shrieks. Then, as if the table couldn't get any more crowded (or louder), Feliciana bounded over, squealing with joy, a patient Ludwig and Kiku on her heels. She threw herself on top of Lovina and Antonio, ignoring the cries of irritation.

"Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Looooooviiiiiiiiiiiiii," she sang. "Happy birthday to us!" She dangled a gold chain in front of her face. "Look what Ludwig got me! The pendant's made of amber, he says it's like my eyes…"

Ludwig flushed a delightful shade of maroon as Lovina shoved her away. "Where did all you fuckin' people come from? This place was completely deserted like ten minutes ago."

"Because splendid isolation is for losers!" declared Gillian, playfully mussing up Arthur's hair. "We had to teach this guy the same lesson on HIS seventeenth too. Friends don't ditch friends on birthdays, it's totally unawesome."

Lovina rolled her eyes at that, but couldn't help feeling privately surprised at the choice of words. Why did all of her 'friends' have to be absolutely demented, then?

But she didn't mind. Sort of. Maybe. Bleh.

"Ve, Lovi! You haven't eaten your yummy lunch," Feliciana poked her sister's lunch bag.

"Don't want it. It's gross."

"You can have mine." Antonio offered his own lunch bag to her. "You should get what you want today, Lovi…oh yeah, happy birthday to you too, Feli!"

"Thanks!" Feliciana joined the many people crowding around Francis as he divided the cake, resolutely ignoring various pleas for a slice. Lovina pulled the lid off of Antonio's lunch container and sniffed. He laughed at her reaction.

"It's from the book you gave me. I made it myself! Also…" He fumbled around in his pocket. "It's good that Feli got a necklace because then you two can kinda match!"

Lovina shot him a funny look, though it was difficult to do so through a mouthful of chicken and tomato. She swallowed before asking, "Match?"

"Yup…" He placed something wrapped in paper next to her elbow resting on the table. "Sorry I didn't wrap it nicely or anything. But I figured you'd open it right away, anyway…"

Lovina was already ripping the tiny makeshift package apart. So while Feliciana now had a golden-orange heart to wear, Lovina had a dark green star with loops of wire around the arms, securing it to a silver chain. She put it on, much to Antonio's delight.

"If I'm allergic to this metal or anything, it's your fault."

He just beamed, glad to know she hadn't rejected it right away. Francis shoved a slice of cake towards her.

"Hurry Lovi, just eat it before it's gone!" He turned and sternly rapped Gillian on the wrist with his fork. "And nobody gets a bite until the birthday girls do."

Gillian pouted, or at least did as much as she could with her tongue sticking out, trying to sneak a lick of icing.

Lovina shrugged and stuck her fork into the slice. Banana chocolate. Good choice. She popped it into her mouth, watching with smug amusement as Francis struggled to ward off the growing number of people begging him to give them some.

"There won't be enough for EVERYONE," he snapped, jerking his left elbow up to block Adam from grabbing a piece. Gillian snatched up the entire box.

"Anyone who wants some cake will have to fight the awesome me for it!" she shouted, raising it over her head.

"Bring it, Beilschmidt," challenged Mathias. He ran his fingers through his hair, making it stick up even more. But before either could do anything, a teacher marched over, frowning mightily.

"Picking fights now, Gillian?" Mrs. Tackett fixed the girl with a stern glare. "And you, Mathias, better be watching your detention record too. What's going on here?"

Francis shrugged. "Nothing. We're just having cake…" He flashed his most charming smile at her. "Care to have some?"

Unfortunately, the school's most severe disciplinarian was well accustomed to Francis's wiles by now. "That won't be necessary. I'll be keeping my eye on you two. You better be careful next time you're making scenes." With that, she turned on her heel and stalked off to berate another group of students.

Gillian stuck her tongue out at her retreating back. "Dude, that woman seriously hates my guts." She plopped back down at the bench, dropping the cake carelessly. "But then again, what teacher doesn't?"

"Awww, Gilly. You don't mean that," Antonio protested as they quickly made work of the rest of the cake. She rolled her eyes.

"Stop tiptoeing around it. They all think I need to be locked up," she grunted. Tossing aside her fork, she leaned one elbow all too casually. "Whatever, I'll be gone from here as soon as June hits anyway."

"Amen," Francis said as they slapped high fives. Antonio blinked at them.

"What? Really? To where?"

Francis shot him a slightly guilty look. "Anywhere. Mostly Europe. See my dad. Say hi to Gilly's grandparents. Visit famous places. We were going to ask you…"

Antonio stared at him. "You know I have to go to the farm."

"Yeah, but we're only doing it for maybe like. A year."

Antonio still shook his head no. "I can't. I promised." He could not keep the disappointment out of his voice, however.

Francis sighed. "Thought so."

Lovina was surprised when Gillian began speaking again. Actually, she was only surprised because the girl had been quiet for nearly three whole minutes.

"It's not as if I hate this place," She said in a low tone. "It's my home, of course I like here. But I don't know. Knew I wouldn't stay here forever." Her red eyes flickered around the cafeteria as other students were beginning to pack up and leave. "Just feel like I should get out..."

Her gaze roved about until it settled on the distant figure of Mrs. Tackett.

"Anyway, the awesome me can't be held hostage to these stupid standards! It's totally unawesome!" Gillian stood up with a triumphant smirk quickly slapped on her face again. I'll just go off and be even more fuckin' awesome, that's gonna be my revenge!"

She ran off just as the bell rang, with Francis on her heels. Lovina turned to Antonio, who still looked troubled.

"Here." She handed the now-empty food container back at him. When he didn't respond, she practically pushed him over by shoving the plastic box into his arm. "Oi, stupid! Take back your dumb lunch!"

There was something very unnerving about the way he wordlessly tossed it into his backpack without paying much attention to her. Lovina frowned.

"Hey, bastard…we're going to be late to class."

He finally turned to her. "Then why aren't you leaving?"

"I was…you always…" Lovina stammered. She quickly got up, scraping her chair back loudly. "Fine! Damn it, I don't know, just whatever. It's creepy when you're looking all tripped out and depressed. It's not normal."

Antonio followed her out of the nearly-empty cafeteria, still wearing that odd expression. "Sorry. Um. It's just. Wow. I've known Francis and Gillian all through school. And yeah, we're graduating this year. But it never occurred to me that we'd. You know. Split up."

Lovina snorted. "You're making it sound like you guys are fuckin' married. It's not like they're going to forget you completely. Let it go."

As they walked down the hallway, Antonio gave a stray backpack a half-hearted kick. "But they'll be off having cool and exciting adventures and stuff…I'll be alone."

He nearly tripped as Lovina came to an abrupt halt.

"Alone? Excuse me," She growled, tugging on his sleeve sharply. "But where the hell do you think I'm going to go? I'm stuck here too! Do I even have a choice but to hang around you?"

Antonio blinked. "So…are you saying that…"

Even Lovina's haircurl seemed to stiffen as she paused in horror, the implication of her words hitting her like a basketball to the face.

"N-no! Idiot! I meant that…I, um…aaargh!" she shrieked, stamping one foot in frustration. "I don't know! Shit! Forget it! Dumbass! Fuck you!"

The noise ricocheted off the walls of the now-empty hallway, prompting a few curious faces to peek out the windows of classroom doors. Kiku appeared from around a corner.

"Ah! Lovina-san, I've been looking for you…Miss Vincent sent me to find you when you didn't show up on time."

The girl started in surprise. "Wha-?" She grabbed Antonio's wrist to look at his watch.

"Damn it, Antonio, you made me late! Bastard," she grumped. And couldn't help shoving him one last time before running off with Kiku.

Antonio watched her disappear behind the corner. He waited until the soft tapping of shoes hitting the tiles had ceased completely before breaking into a smile.

* * *

**A/N: As soon as I typed "She's seventeen," my mind started blaring Abba. So there you go.**

**We seem to have a lot of ticklish people in this school…Gilly DOES have some beef with many of her educators, but that's another story. No, literally. I wrote another story about it, called 'Somewhere Awesome' (whoooo, more shameless plugging!). I've decided Mrs. Tackett is the teacher who shows up every time someone shifts just a teeny bit out of line xP Her disobedience-radar is astonishing.**

**Ratingks and reviews, pleases?**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Another one of those chapters that makes me cackle at my monitor, rubbing my hands together in glee. Oh Antonio, you sneaky Romeo, you…!**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim.**

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For once, the classroom was completely hushed as the cast ran through Act II. Arthur was amazed. Everybody was sitting on the floor, crowded around the director's table and the seats around it, watching in reverence at the scene unfolding out on front of them. He glanced to his left, where a scholarly-looking sophomore with light blond hair and glasses was quietly observing, occasionally writing something down. He turned to Arthur, smiling a little bit.

"So, in this scene, it's in the middle of the night?"

"Yeah, so a lot of shadows. It's a scene when emotions and objectives are really ambiguous, so I want that evident in the lighting. But of course, we still need to be able to see them clearly."

"Definitely." Eduard made a note on the pad of paper. "Shadows, streetlights, moody atmosphere. Got it. I have to admit, I heard so many good things about this next part."

Arthur nodded, and both lighting designer and director turned their undivided attention to the actors.

Vash strode over to Yong Soo and Adam, who were in a very energetic but well staged tussle. Wrenching the boys apart, he fixed them with a disapproving look.

"Save your steam for the PRs."

Adam scowled. "He don't want what we want, so we're hoodlums!"

Raivis nodded in agreement. "I wear a jacket like my buddies, so my teacher calls me hoodlum!"

Yong Soo scuffed the floor with his shoe angrily. "I swear, the next creep who calls me hoodlum -"

"You'll laugh," Vash snapped. "Yeah. Now you all better dig this and dig it the most. No matter who or what is eatin' at you, you show it, buddy boys? And you are dead. You're cuttin' a hole in yourselves for them to stick a red-hot umbrella in and open it. Wide."

Roderich was off in another band rehearsal, so Maddie clicked play on her laptop instead for music. Vash continued as the vamp began creeping in.

"You wanna live? You play it cool."

Adam jumped up. "I wanna get even!"

"Get cool."

Yong Soo kicked one of the crates savagely. "I wanna bust!"

"Bust cool!" Though he wasn't very tall, the blond still cut an imposing figure as he began snapping his fingers, slowly walking amongst the rest of the Jets onstage.

_Boy, boy, crazy boy,  
Get cool, boy!  
Got a rocket, in your pocket?  
Keep coolie, cool boy!  
Don't get hot, 'cos man, you've got  
Some high times ahead.  
Take it slow, and daddio –  
You could live it up and die in bed…  
Boy, boy, crazy boy,  
Stay loose, boy!  
Breeze it, buzz it. Easy does it...  
Turn off the juice, boy!_

He turned and ran back towards the Adam and Yong Soo, who were still images of sulking teenage rage, causing them to jump back.

_Go man, go,  
But not like a yoyo –  
School, boy!  
Just play it cool, boy…  
Real cool._

As he stood there, snapping his fingers, the other Jets behind him slowly began joining in. Yong Soo hesitated, but suddenly spun around to slam his fist into one of the other crates.

"Easy, Snowboy."

Adam also twisted around to violently kick the air. Vash grabbed him by the arm, glaring into his face.

"Easy!"

Finally, the two began snapping their fingers in time to the rest of them. They followed Vash, passing Raivis, who had the expression of utmost uncertainty on his face.

"Cool, Baby John."

Now the unofficial leader of the Jets, Vash approached Natalya, Tina and Kim, who were watching warily from a cluster on upper stage left. He nodded at them, and they began to snap along with the others.

"Cool, man."

Various members of the group began to separate themselves from the larger group huddled around Vash, wandering downstage. When they got there, they would suddenly burst into a dance move, such as a kick or a spin. As the song wore on, these little solos became more extravagant, finally ending with cartwheels and flips across the stage. Then, as one large, menacing group, all the Jets came creeping up towards the front, still snapping their fingers. As they gradually dispersed, the boys and girls exchanged low hisses and half-whispered shouts.

"Cool!"

"Go!"

"Crazy!"

"Cool!"

"Go!"

"Crazy!"

By that point, the music had finally hit the climax. With a manic, violent cheer, the Jets tore into a frenzied dance, with Vash and Natalya leading them in intensity. In the audience, the other cast and crew were completely spellbound. After an amazing show of how far the actors had come along with learning swing and rudimentary gymnastics, all of the Jets drew back into their tight clump again, with Vash as the centre.

_Boy, boy, crazy boy,  
Stay loose, boy!  
Breeze it, buzz it. Easy does it...  
Turn off the juice, boy!_

As one, they all ran downstage together, popping a very short but high jump simultaneously before nearly hitting the edge of the stage. Vash took the last line upon himself as the rest of the group positioned themselves around him again.

_Just play it cool, boy…  
Real cool._

Awed silence.  
Thunderous applause.

* * *

Fifty minutes and copious notes later, Arthur looked up from his notebook with a satisfactory click of his pen. "That's it for today. Any questions?"

Elizabeta raised her hand. "When are we going to actually sing with the band?"

"Oh, good point. Roderich tells me that the band has been doing exceptionally well, apparently, for a group that's only practiced for a little over a month. Hopefully, by next week they'll have straightened out all the music, and then we can have the sitzprobe."

Antonio turned around, looking back at his friends with confusion. "The what?"

"Sitzprobe," Gillian explained. "A singing rehearsal with the band. Basically, we just sit around and go through the entire show, but only with the songs."

"Oh, good." Lovina sat back, leaning on her arms. "All this dancing is makes me so tired."

Behind her, Sadiq gave her a funny look. "Uh, you hardly dance at all in the show."

"Whatever."

HK and Francis had finished giving their own notes, so Maddie was now waving her arms fruitlessly in front of the crowd. The students were chattering away amongst themselves, not responding – in fact, most of them didn't seem to notice her presence.

Gillian sat up and bellowed, "OI! SHUT UP, YA WINDBAGS!"

"Maddie's got an announcement." She smiled indulgently up at the embarrassed girl. The room slowly turned their attention towards her.

Their stage manager quickly regained her composure. "Well, I just want to say a few things…like for housekeeping…uh, okay. First off, it's only three weeks until opening, so by March 28 we'll be in the theatre for sure, you might have noticed Eduard earlier watching because he's doing light and sound design..."

Happy cheers and more excited bursts of chatter exploded upon this. Maddie had to exert a lot of effort to quiet them down again.

"We'll be sending out the schedule soon. Now, be prepared to work long hours next week -"

"Also known as hell week!" Gillian called out.

"- Because the week right after that is mostly for tech. You still need to be there, but things like cue to cue and tech dress will be a long and tedious process. Bring homework or a book or something with you to keep you occupied." Maddie paused for a second, hesitating a little bit as she considered one last announcement. The rest of the students, all eyes upon her at last, waited.

"And, I think Arthur deserves to be recognized for his hard work on this production. I've never seen anyone so dedicated to a show, and you'll probably all agree…"

There were quite a few vigorous nods at this one. A few eye rolls as well.

"So uh, yeah. Let's give him a hand."

It was Arthur's turn to blush awkwardly as the room erupted into thunderous cheering and applause. Even Lovina had taken the effort to sit up and clap, albeit sullenly. And nobody was louder than Alfred, sitting in the middle and whooping like he was playing Wild Wild West again. Wow, that was a long time ago. Alfred always wanted to be the Sheriff, so he always played the Outlaw…

Arthur was startled out of his reverie with a hand snaking across his shoulders. Out of reflex more than anything, he automatically slapped Francis away from him.

"Wanker."

The older teen shrugged. "It was worth a shot."

The door opened and Feliks, lugging enormous bags along with him, trotted into view. "Aww, I like, totally had this amay-may speech ready when I heard you all clapping for me and my fab designs. But like, it's like seriously overtime and that creepy bitch, Mrs. Tackett or whatever, nearly put me in frickin' DETENTION. I mean like, me? In detention? Please!"

Maddie struggled to make her voice heard over the buzz of curiosity arising from the crowd. "Okay, so we're using the rest of the time to try on costumes. Careful, don't all go at the same ti-"

A useless request, as the whole group seemed to charge as one at the short blond. Feliks had to hop up on a chair.

"Like, seriously? Just calm down, I got this covered. Gawd, people."

Lovina personally was in no hurry to try on her costume. The run through had been pretty damn exhausting in her opinion, and Sadiq could go hide in a hole for all she cared. As Gillian ran past her, clutching something bright red and cackling, she finally slunk up to the costume designer.

He perked up considerably at the sight of her. "Ex_cuse_ me, Little Miss Leading Lady, where the hell have you been? YOUR dress, is like, the most ultimate thing ever." He pulled a bundle out of his bag and handed it to her.

"And I assume that Mr. Director told you about character shoes to go with it, right?"

Lovina didn't answer. She was holding a 50s style white dress – right, there was an entire scene in which Maria and Anita discussed this famous white dress. Feliks had created it with a fluffy, full skirt that reached just past her knees, a very thin and pale pink ribbon threaded around the waist. The sleeves were of a different material than the dress, slippery and opaque, while the square neckline had embroidery of tiny flowers all around it, also the same pale pink.

Feliks thrust out his hands dramatically under her nose. "My fingers have like, bled for your frickin' dress. Those flowers? Totally done by hand." He gave her a little nudge towards the choir flats at one end of the room, which were functioning as a screen for the girls to change behind. As both Arthur and Vash dragged Francis away from it, Feliks gave her another prod. "Go now, you are not going to let my work go to nothing!"

Lovina disappeared behind the flats just as Gillian emerged, looking astounding in a low cut red dress. Though the style caused the dress to hug her figure, revealing every single curve, she marched up to Feliks in the most unladylike way possible.

He nodded at her approvingly. "Sex. That is sex. You are like, total sex in that dress. Feel free to worship me now, I've done the impossible."

"Lukasiewicz, there is no way I can wear a bra with this."

"Then don't. Duh."

"Are you fucking kidding me? I have to dance, moron." Gillian pointed at her chest. "Since you obviously don't know what it's like to be female, I'm gonna tell you right now that sometimes, boobs hurt when you have to run around doing turns and kicks, okay?"

Feliks sighed and motioned her to come over, reaching for his box of pins with the other hand. "Ugh. Fine. I guess it's better, with like, the entire dress code and all…"

As Gillian and Feliks continued to squabble over the red dress, Lovina slipped out from behind the flat, wearing the white one. She hovered there, not sure who to go to for inspection. Arthur was busy with others, examining costumes when he wasn't still berating Francis.

"Lovi…"

She squeaked in surprise and turned. Antonio, who had been in the process of buttoning up his shirt, was standing there gaping at her. Lovina squirmed. She felt like throwing up, for some reason. It was also irritating not being able to know what exactly Antonio was thinking, when usually it was so easy to read his expressions.

Lovina quickly folded her arms across her chest defensively. "What do you want, bastard?"

Antonio just continued to stand there speechlessly in front of her. Lovina felt herself blushing, the first time in a long time since she'd gotten used to his (constant, it seemed) presence. But he hadn't stared at her this intensely since the first time they met at the callbacks.

She fidgeted a bit more, trying to avoid his stare, when she noticed his shirt.

"Geez, are you so stupid you can't even finish buttoning your damn shirt? It makes you look like a paedophile." Without thinking, Lovina leaned over and began helping him do up the buttons. As she suddenly realized what she was doing, she was about to draw back when Antonio finally ripped his gaze from her face to her hands.

Lovina shrugged inwardly. It was better to have something to do. And she was probably right, the guy had such a short attention span, he'd definitely need babying…she quickly discovered that there were no more buttons left. Feeling her face burn up again, Lovina lifted her fingers and silently straightened his collar as well.

As she reached behind his neck, Antonio unexpectedly put his hands on her forearms, effectively preventing her from moving them. Lovina started and glanced up at him – oh, that ridiculous smile again. Hello, welcome back. I missed you…not, she thought hastily.

"Thanks, Lovi," he said happily.

"You're so helpless," she grunted, trying to pull away again, but he held her fast.

"Sorry…" He laughed quietly. "You look beautiful in that. I completely understand how Tony felt when he sees Maria at the dance now."

It was probably a good thing that he was holding onto her, because Lovina could have fainted from that line alone. Only because of the utter sappiness of the words, of course. But by now she knew Antonio wasn't one to pad his words with over the top, meaningless adjectives. She didn't even know if his brain capacity could handle anything but what he genuinely thought was the truth…

Lovina dimly realized the irony of her situation. They'd switched roles: now she was the one gawking up at his bright green eyes, while he was gently lifting up her chin towards his own face.

Her mind simply blanked out as she could feel Antonio's lips moving closer.

"OH. MY. GOD! Finally!"

Feliks's voice cut through the (very little) space between them, sending an almost physical shock throughout Lovina's body. She sprang away from an equally surprised Antonio as Feliks sashayed forward to inspect her outfit.

"Okay like, that took you like FOREVER just to try on my dress! But omigawd, it's like so totes adorable on you. I'm so stealing it for myself after the show. Perfect." The blond turned to Antonio, who was looking extremely disappointed. "And hello, Mr. Leading Man. Everything goin' peachy for ya?"

Antonio blinked and glanced down at his legs. "Oh? Uh…"

Gillian popped up next to him, looking like a glam punk with the many safety pins dotting her own costume. "Wow, you could definitely make these pants way tighter."

Feliks's eyes widened in interest. "Really?" He began walking around the tanned boy, eyeing him critically.

Gillian groaned. "I was being sarcastic, dummy!"

Lovina silently walked behind the flat again to try on the other dress Feliks had given her, a blue one. But her movements were mechanical, body simply going through the motions of changing, mind furiously boiling over with all the sensory information of the past five minutes. Then, one thought shot clearly through the confusing jumble. Lovina bolted straight up.

"What the FUCK was he doing near the _girl_s' changing area? Fuckin' pervert!"

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**A/N: Hah! The almost kiss. I do love being evil about this…One of these days, I'm going to go online and find that one of you has firewalled my laptop from TV Tropes. (Though this was written before I went to check if there was an appropriate trope – and there was! There ALWAYS will be!)**

**I think Feliks is pretty much just based on all my drama friends' "diva" personas, especially this one guy who choreographed a show I was in. He's so talkative, I love it.**** The part with Gillian was very unprecedented, by the way xD But who else would be so frank when talking about her body?**

**Rate rate rate rate rate rate, rate and reviewwww! (To be sung to the old Nickelodeon channel jingle)**

**PS. New profile poll regarding the new series I'm concocting! Please vote, thank you!**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Personal moment of fangirl glee today! I was surfing the Hetalia wiki and it said that Himuraya is actually throwing around some potential "human" names for Hong Kong. That, of course, excites me to no end. I'm hoping he picks "Wong Khao Long" as the Chinese name because I was born in Kowloon...as for his English name? I read BlackRoseAuthoress's stories, so I lol'd hard. Because apparently, Himuraya picked Leon.  
**

**Also, who here agrees that the World Series episodes are just getting trippier and trippier?**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim.**

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Kiku turned the key in the lock and leaned against the heavy door, struggling slightly until Heracles helped her out with a mighty shove. Seven teenagers stared into the hushed, 250-seat theatre in trepidation and awe.

Maddie took a deep breath. "Okay, guys. This is it…today and tomorrow is all we got for setting stuff up. This place is pretty big, so let's get working."

Arthur nodded as they began descending towards the stage via the outermost aisle. "Right now, just hang and cable. Tomorrow, we'll patch and focus...providing we'll be done today. I hope to God that it will be. Then levels on Monday, with any luck... We can move actors any time we want, but the lights are going to be a right pain in the arse."

He glanced up at HK, who was now looking around himself as he stood centre stage.

"It doesn't feel as big when you're actually standing there, does it?"

The boy crossed downstage to join the others. "Yeah, but I'm going to assume it's because we now have definite boundaries. At least we won't have to yell at Alfred when he moves too much because he'll just fall off instead."

Arthur glanced around. "Say...where's Ingrid?"

"Cross country meeting, but said she'll be here later."

"Hey!" Sanun poked his head out from the wings, appearing to be dragging something. "Someone help me get the risers out. Because once that's done, your beloved minimalist set will be pretty much finished, apart from the cyc."

Arthur, Heracles and HK moved to help him. Maddie, Kiku and Eduard began heading back up the steps towards the sound booth at the back. Eduard unrolled the large piece of paper he was holding.

"Right. Here's the plot." He pointed at the small symbols dotting the crisscross bars of the grid. "I'll need twenty fresnels, twelve zooms, seventeen source fours..."

"Ugh, we're going to be in here all night."

"Yep. This is set up for 66 lights."

"_OH _GOD_._"

"I'll go and turn on the dimmers, Madeleine-san."

"Great, thank you so much for helping out today."

The minutes ticked by, and all of them worked hard to assemble the right configuration. Hauling the various lights up and adjusting cables made a very tedious process, but they all enjoyed their work. Everything was coming along smoothly. After an hour of fastidious toil, the stage was cluttered with ladders and lights, with cables dangling down from wherever they were plugged into the ceiling. HK had to admit that there was something attractive about Arthur all the way up there, straddling his ladder as he tied a neatly coiled bunch of cable to the bar, a wrench sticking out of his back pocket.

But right now, no time could be wasted staring blatantly at somebody else across the stage. So he continued heading up the ladder, hauling the heavy source four up along with him.

"Okay, so this cable's just hanging here, but I don't know what circuit it goes into. Kiku, could you run a dimmer check?"

"Certainly. House lights going to half!"

Meanwhile, the lighting designer was preparing for focusing the next day. Sanun held up two gels for inspection. Eduard squinted at them.

"That one looks more magenta than red," he finally concluded. "That can be Gillian's Quintet spot."

Heracles walked over with the box of gobos. Eduard began picking through them with interest.

"Wow, this one's really cool," he said, holding up a thin piece of metal with a swirl design cut through it. "But I can't imagine anything we would need it for. I think we're going to have to make our own gobos – I was thinking that in the Prologue, we'll have one for the Jets and the others for the Sharks. Since the set is really sparse, we can use lights to designate the different gang territories."

"Oh, excellent. I love that. Brilliant idea." Arthur had come down from the ladder. "And we can also stick to the different colour schemes that Feliks was using for the costumes. Cool colours for Sharks, warm for Jets."

"Alright. I'll keep it simple and do red and blue."

"Perfect!"

"Hey!" The huddle of boys turned to see Maddie poking her head out from the door of the booth. "Arthur, it's almost four. Sitzprobe in the band room."

"Hell, I nearly forgot." Arthur sprinted up the stairs, snatching up his bag along the way. "You guys keep going. I'll be back at around 5:30, okay? Great work."

"Yup. See ya."

* * *

Ludwig emptied his spit valve for the hundredth time, though he didn't really need to as they'd hardly begun playing. He glanced to his right. Jon, the other trumpet player, had his head bowed over a notepad, doodling. Ludwig could just make out the outline of a puffin past the white-blond locks of hair. He sighed. Typically, having such a taciturn seatmate would have pleased him greatly, but right now, it was just kind of awkward. His attention wandered out past the musicians to the cast members sitting in the rows of seats just past them - Gillian had dragged another chair over to prop up her feet, and was laughing loudly at something Antonio had just said.

Look over slightly to the left again. There, in the closest chair to Roderich's piano was Feliciana, chattering gaily to her other fellow violinist, Tian Wei. The past few weeks had been alarmingly surreal to Ludwig. They had been spent almost constantly with Feliciana (although, he had to reflect, it wasn't much different from before) ever since...

As if on cue, she turned and beamed at him before blowing him a kiss. Right there. In the open. In front of EVERYONE he knew. Ludwig felt himself turn red, but had to do something, or else Feliciana would make an even bigger deal about it. So he reluctantly touched his own lips and feebly flicked his wrist back at her. The resulting squeal of joy was deafening. At least to him.

The door flew open and Arthur ran in, panting.

"Sorry everyone was setting lights with the crew well here we are Roderich are you all warmed up let's get this going!"

The pianist blinked. "What?"

From his position behind the drum kit, Peter didn't even bother holding in his giggles.

"Can't even get to your own stupid rehearsal on time?"

His brother shot him a dark look. "It's a lot of work organizing this entire thing. I hope you brought your homework because we'll have to go home late tonight. I still need to check on how the crew is doing with the lighting."

"What? That's not fair!" Peter scowled. "Why do I have to stay for your dumb lighting, I'm already doing your music..."

The entire room braced themselves for a round of embarrassing sibling squabble. Luckily, the Finnish girl in the second row quickly stood up, long braids swinging.

"Arthur, Berwald and I can bring him home for you if you want," Tina offered. Her classmate was startled by the offer.

"Oh...right. Yeah, that'd be great, thanks."

He finally turned to everyone else, who had been awkwardly pretending that they hadn't heard the exchange. "Sorry. Alright, this is the sitzprobe. Band, do whatever you need to do. Actors, get organized - leads in the first row, then Sharks on the left and Jets on the right...let's split right here, between Al and Francis," He raised his voice over the loud scrapings and shuffling of chairs. "We'll do the whole show but SONGS ONLY. Stand up when it's your turn to sing!"

Roderich turned to his own group. "Tune up. Feli, here's an A." He pressed one finger down onto the keyboard.

Feliciana shifted around to face the rest. Placing the bow onto the strings, her own A note began to fill the room. The other instruments slowly joined in, matching her for pitch. Eventually, Roderich nodded with satisfaction.

"Good to go. We did vocal warm-up before you got here."

"Oh..er, okay. Just begin from the top. Prologue." Arthur glanced back at the assembled cast, quietly waiting. "Now you'll get a good idea of how live instruments will actually sound like...yes, Alfred?"

"Do you want us to say any lines or whatever on top of the music?"

"Ohh...good question. If you like." Arthur frowned. "But nobody really has any lines..."

"Yeah, we do! All the _UH_s and _YEAH!_s in the Prologue when we're fighting each other 'n stuff!"

Their director groaned and rolled his eyes. "If you insist."

"AWRIGHT!"

Now, Lovina was feeling very pleased at this whole set up. The Prologue was quite long and even if you excluded it, there were four more songs before she really had to get up and sing anything. She settled back into her seat, not paying any mind to Roderich counting off the time signature...

_Da-DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-dum!  
_

She yelped in surprise as the opening notes blared out from the instruments. Ignoring the snickers from around her, she slunk down in embarrassment.

"Psst, Artie! Can we do the snaps too?"

"Yes! Now, quiet!"

So, Lovina had to deal with varying groups of boys randomly getting up to shout random things such as "HEYY! CHICO!" or "JEEEEETS!" And these were almost always accompanied with exaggerated gestures and flailing arms. She scowled and slid even lower in her chair, stealing a glance at the person next to her. Antonio was grinning like the...perpetually grinning idiot he was (Lovina realized there really was no other person to compare to, when it came to smiles), sitting on the edge of his seat. It was pretty obvious that he wanted to join in on the silly catcalls and cheers, but he wasn't even present in the song.

She tugged on his sleeve as Alfred stood up to take his solo in the Jet Song. "Hey, bastard. Sit back before you fall over from your stupidness."

He complied, scooting his chair backwards AND closer to her. "It's nice to know that you care, Lovi!"

Lovina just snorted and turned away, feigning disinterest, but he could see the tinge of red gracing her cheeks... and Antonio didn't care anymore about what she did. He knew she never meant any of it now. Or rather, her actions always meant something else.

"Geez. Rehearsals just get longer and longer."

"Of course, it's opening night in less than two weeks."

"Oh, god." Lovina twisted back around to face the front, now blushing out of fear instead of irritation. "Two weeks?"

"Less than."

"Fuuuuck. Fuck fuck fuck shit fuck fuck." She drew her knees up onto the chair seat, clutching them nervously. "Why the hell did I let myself do this stupid play?"

"Don't worry," Antonio said soothingly. "You'll be so good, I mean, you're the leading lady!"

"That's exactly it!" she hissed, ignoring Arthur's glare of disapproval. "Everyone's going to be watching me so if I screw up it'll be out there for the world to see-"

Lovina scowled at being interrupted and knocked out of her previous sitting position. Antonio had grabbed her hand and was now looking at her earnestly.

"Lovi, listen. Don't worry," he repeated, music pounding around them. "It's not a big deal. People will understand if you mess up. And you won't mess up. You're a beautiful singer and a very good actress, and they'll all love you as much as I do." He beamed at her. "Okay?"

Lovina was far too startled at this kind of declaration to answer.

_On the whole!  
Ever!  
Mother!  
Lovin'!  
Streeeeeeeeeet!_

The Jet Song closed with a smattering of applause. Roderich smiled with satisfaction. "Good, good. Everything's gone so smoothly so far. Let's keep it that way. Antonio, you're up."

Antonio nodded back and turned to Lovina, who was still speechless. "Don't worry," he said for the third time, and gave her hand a squeeze before dropping it to stand up. The woodwinds began piping up with the vamp into his song. All she could do was continue staring at him in surprise. It was like she knew how she wanted to respond (kick him and tell him to shut the fuck up) but something had rendered her physically unable to do so.

_Could it be?  
Who knows?  
There's something due, any day,  
I don't know, right away,  
Soon as it shows..._

Oh, damnit. _GOD_DAMNIT.

* * *

**A/N: Techie Glossary:**

_**Upstage/downstage left/right**_**: Stage positions are in the perspective of the actor. Going to the front would be DOWNstage, and to the back is UPstage. The left is the actor's left, and right is actor's right.  
**_**Cyc**_**: Cyclorama. A large piece of fabric put up at the back as a kind of background. It can be stretched taut or hung loosely, and you can project lights and videos onto it.  
**_**Hang**_**: Should be self explanatory.**_**  
Cable**_**: Plugging a light into a circuit so you can turn it on.  
**_**Patch**_**: Setting a dimmer to a channel on the lighting board - meaning, assigning a button to control a light (after assigning said light some power!)  
**_**Focus**_**: Adjusting the light physically to make sure it's pointing in the right direction.  
**_**Dimmer**_**: A power generator, basically. Running a dimmer check is a bit different though: here we're checking to see which circuit is being used (has a cable/light stuck into it)  
**_**Circuit**_**: The outlet that a light gets plugged into. Not the same as house power, but it's connected to a dimmer via the lighting board, which controls it.  
**_**Fresnel, Leko/Zoom, Source Four**_**: Type of lights.**_**  
Spot**_**: Spotlight  
**_**Gel**_**: A clearish, coloured material put over lights to change the colour.**_**  
Gobo**_**: A small metal frame with a pattern cut into it. When you put it over a light, the light will be filtered through the gobo to form a particular shape, such as a window frame.**

**Originally, I was going to have them hang, cable, patch and focus in ONE DAY but had to rewrite that - I am currently doing assistant lighting for a show. We have a 100ish seater and 42 lights, and used up a whole weekend doing all this. 23 hours total. Granted, our kids have a slightly bigger theatre and it's seven people working together as opposed to three, so I decided to stretch feasibility that they can do all their lighting crap in two days. Which is probably a miracle in real life, but that's the beauty of fiction! =D**

**Speaking of which, Arthur must be some sort of god to have the energy and time to oversee ALL of this stuff. Maddie too.**

**I've definitely run out of entertaining ways to say "I'm begging you to review" by now. But please leave one anyway?  
**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Cue to cue! Dear God. Cast and crew, gird your loins!**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim.**

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Antonio gasped. "Wow, this is so cool!"

Lovina stared down the rows of seats. "What's so damn cool about it? Never seen a stage before?"

"Yeah, but it's going to be OUR stage!"

They plopped down into flip-down seats in the third row. For once, they were actually early. Over the next few minutes, there was a continuous stream of students filing in, and therefore a continuous stream of excited gasps also peppered the air. Ingrid Haakon flicked the strands of light blond hair that had escaped her bobby pins out of her face. She hadn't taken five steps inside the theatre when her path was obstructed by a tall figure.

"Ingrid!" Mathias happily leaned down towards her. "What are you doing here?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Sound tech?"

"Whoa, I never knew you did that stuff. That's awesome!"

"You learn something new every day. And I do mean _you_ in particular," she said curtly, sidestepping him to continue heading towards where everyone else was gathering. However, Mathias just began walking alongside with her.

"Yeah, that's so true. Guess what else I learned today?"

"Two times three is six. The Earth revolves around the sun. The tailors actually duped the Emperor, and he was naked the entire time."

Mathias either ignored her sarcastic comments, or didn't hear her at all. He stopped at the top of the tenth row, grinning widely and stretching out his arms.

"Hey guys!" he shouted. "MACBETH!"

Arthur jumped up instantly, his face the image of pure outrage.

"Out! Get out right now," he ordered, flapping his hands at the taller boy, who was forced to retrace his steps back up the stairs. "You are NOT to enter this space again until you have turned around three times, spat over your left shoulder and shouted 'merde' as loud as you can. And we shall have to vote whether to invite you back into the theatre."

"…Seriously?"

"YES!" Arthur scowled and shoved him roughly. "I can't believe you said that. You have endangered the lives of EVERYONE in this production. I've heard too many frightening things about the Scottish Play's curse to take it lightly."

Ingrid turned away from the loud argument that was gradually fading away as Arthur finally got Mathias out the door.

"Maddie, here's the effects CD. I've also written for what scenes they apply to."

"Oh! Thanks." The stage manager accepted the disc although she was struggling with a box of props. "Great, I'll have Arthur listen to it. You don't need to be here for the rest of the day if you want, because we're just going to get the actors used to the stage. Cue to cue's next Tuesday."

"Okay. See you." Turning on her heel, Ingrid swiftly went up the stairs two at a time, and slipped out the door to see a very disgruntled Mathias standing just outside.

"That guy is completely insane," he whined.

"You're one of a kind, Mathias," she replied, smirking a little. Ingrid walked away, not seeing the surprised look that slowly crossed his face. Berwald arrived, giving her a nod of recognition. Mathias grabbed his arm just as he was about to walk into the theatre.

"Hey, man. Ingrid just said I'm one of a kind…so, ya think she's actually into me?"

Berwald snorted, and tried to shake him away, but Mathias had a firm grip. The taller blond glared irritably at him, but Mathias continued.

"Which means, maybe she actually meant yes when I asked her out last month! Because you know Ingrid, she's got a weird sense of humour sometimes – it always feels like she's cracking some joke, but I just don't get them…"

"There are a lot of things you don't 'get,' I'd imagine,'" Berwald scoffed. Arthur stuck his head out.

"Fine, we've decided. You can come back. But NO MORE screwing around with theatre traditions! As soon as you get back, we're doing a run through. Oh hey, Berwald."

The two followed him back in and down the stairs, Mathias still looking thoughtful. "Playing hard to get, eh? I'm cool with that, it's totally sexy. Maybe if I made a really epic show out of it, like…well…hmm…."

Berwald happily escaped to the other side of the theatre with the other Jets. Whatever Mathias was going to decide upon, he refused to take any part in it.

* * *

The novelty of acting on a real stage quickly wore off. Now, whenever they had rehearsal, they all assembled for a rigorous, non-stop run through – sometimes with the band and sometimes not – which was always followed by pages and pages of notes, courtesy of Arthur. Lovina was tired. So incredibly tired. When she got home those evenings, all she wanted to do was stuff her face, take a long shower, and go to sleep. In that order. And she usually did.

On Tuesday of the next week, she opened the heavy door to see a dimly lit house, already dotted with various cast members. She could also pick out the band sitting in formation in front of the stage. Feliciana gave her a happy wave with the bow of her violin, causing a few of her fellow musicians nearby to duck apprehensively. Maddie and Arthur had their attention on the sound booth at the back.

"Okay, show us the Shark gobo again? Put it over the Jet one."

Lovina saw Eduard nod through the long glass window of the booth before he examined the many, MANY buttons on the lighting board. Finally, he slid one of the faders up, and there was a collective gasp of delight as the outline of a blue shark appeared on the stage.

Lovina rolled her eyes and began picking her way down the steps. After she had settled into the seat Antonio was saving for her (only chosen as to avoid making a scene, not that she actually wanted to sit there…), Arthur waved his hands in the air for quiet.

"Right. I know most of you are pretty damn sick of staying here all the time. So am I. But today I really, really ask you to tough it out. We're doing cue to cue. That means a lot of starting and stopping the beginning of scenes. I know it won't feel like you're doing anything, but we do really need you to cooperate. Since we are trying to set both light AND sound cues, it is imperative that we all stay quiet. Nobody wants to stay longer than we have to, so please, PLEASE don't waste time."

He gestured to Maddie as he put on a headset and settled back into his chair in the middle row. "All power to the stage manager, now."

The girl slipped on a headset on her own and nodded. "House lights out. Can I have the actors from the Prologue ready backstage, please? Same with the band. Wait until I tell you what to do next…Eduard, stand by for cue 1."

The time ticked by ever so slowly. Twenty minutes later, they'd only just gotten to the end of the Prologue, as there had been quite a few issues with the microphones. Lovina groaned.

"This is boring, I'm hungry, and it's so fuckin' cold in here."

Antonio shot her a sympathetic look. "Aww, I'm sorry…here, want my hoodie?"

"Yes." She decided that it was not the time to mince words as she was, in fact, rather chilly. Antonio had to laugh as she wiggled her arms through the sleeves.

"You're putting it on backwards, Lovi."

"Well…I…was doing it on purpose, idiot!" Arthur shot them an imposing stare and put his fingers to his lips.

Maddie's voice was soft, but it carried in the still and waiting theatre. "Okay, Jets can go. Light cue 7 – sunny day with shop spot. Ingrid, can we have the daytime street noises on low? Record it at sound cue 3. Antonio, get onstage, we need you."

He hopped to his feet, smiling down at Lovina, who was still snuggled up in his sweater. "I'll be back soon!"

"Yeah, but then it's MY dumb scene." She leaned her head against the corner of Antonio's newly vacated seat and watched as Heracles handed him a mic to strap around his waist. The comfortable darkness of sitting in the house seats made her sleepy. The soft, warm hoodie wasn't helping her to stay awake either…

As Lovina closed her eyes, Maddie was distracted from her half-whispered conversation with the booth by a flash of silver on her right. Looking over, she was startled to see Gillian nonchalantly propping her feet up on the seat in front of her, causing Maddie to stare at the scuffed toes of her boots.

"Hey, can I sit here?"

"Um, I'm kind of busy…"

Arthur, on her other side, poked his head out to glower at their new rowmate. "Beilschmidt, if you mess anything up today, I swear to God that I will beat you to death."

"No, you won't. You'll be missing out on one of your awesome leads."

"You're not a lead, you're more like…a glorified supporting role. Now shut up and do what you're told." Arthur sat back in his seat. Maddie glanced nervously at him, but Gillian just smiled and made herself even more comfortable.

"Maddie?"

"Oh, sorry Eduard," she gasped hurriedly before peering back down towards the stage. Roderich patiently waited at the piano. "Okay, let's do that again with cue 9 so we can time the downfade on Antonio. End of the song…Antonio, go from 'Maybe tonight'…"

Gillian's arm rested ever so casually on the armrest next to her, and Maddie couldn't help accidentally brushing it every time she moved to flip the pages of the prompt script. It made her skin jolt with a surge of energy each time. Like she didn't expect it – though she definitely did. Maybe Maddie was even doing it on purpose. She didn't know. Whatever the case…it was excruciatingly difficult to concentrate.

Next to her, Arthur was also struggling with his own form of internal turmoil. His was more of a valiant fight to keep his control freak tendencies down to a minimum. This rehearsal was Maddie's time. It was all about the cues and levels and entries and exits – he was only there to give the nod of approval and make sure everything went smoothly for her. He felt really bad about feeling this way, because Maddie deserved this chance to show her true potential as a leader…but he felt so damn USELESS.

Arthur watched Lovina drag herself onstage, wrapped up in a red and yellow hooded sweatshirt that obviously didn't belong to her. She and Gillian made the most amusing and contrasting pair as they stood side by side: one looking entirely unimpressed, and the other grinning like the Cheshire Cat itself. As Maddie quietly called the cues, Arthur suddenly felt pressure on his back.

"Wha-?" He twisted around to see HK gently kneading his shoulders.

"Hey, this is your only chance in the next week to relax for once. You should take advantage of it," HK said calmly, and continued to massage him. Arthur scowled and sat back.

"I hate relaxing."

"Yeah, I know." HK's expression almost resembled a smirk, but not quite. Maybe if a smirk could be achieved without changing anything on your face. "You're a workaholic bent on killing himself before he turns twenty."

Arthur snorted, but made no indication to stop him. After a while, he winced.

"Blimey, that hurts."

"Of course. I'm Asian." HK began rubbing his thumbs up and down Arthur's spine. "And, you have the tensest muscles in the universe, so I actually have to exert effort."

"Owww…" Arthur spasmed a little as HK poked a particular spot. "Gah, right there…no, up a bit. To the left. Harder…and don't go so slow."

"Ohhh, Artie," Francis purred as he passed him on the way to the stage. "Only in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd hear you saying that for me…"

"FUCK OFF, BONNEFOY!"

"Shut up!" Maddie lifted one side of her headset and frowned ferociously at the boys, who were both completely startled by the sudden change in their gentle and mild-mannered friend. "Honestly, guys, can we focus here? The Dance at the Gym is the most complicated set of cues, so I need your ass onstage RIGHT now, Francis!"

"Ah. Oui, Madeleine," he answered meekly, running off. Arthur turned to her in amazement.

"Please teach me how to do that."

"Sorry, it only works if you do it once in a while. And you blow up at the tiniest thing."

"What! That's not tru-"

"SHHH!" She held up one hand to silence him, the other pressing her headset to her ear. "Stand by for light cue 11!"

"Standing by."

"Go."

The spotlight that was previously on Lovina dimmed and the stage was washed in a hot magenta haze. The other Jets and Sharks took their positions for the dance on the stage.

"Is there enough light to dance? I think it's too much colour. Arthur, how about levels at forty percent instead?"

"Yeah, it's rather hard on the eyes."

"Okay. So Eduard, bring down the fronts a little bit." Maddie examined her prompt script. "And maybe bring up the tops? They're frosted, right? There are two moving spots for Lovina and Antonio anyway, so…"

"Just a sec."

"Okay, sorry. Take your time." She stretched her arms, glancing over at Arthur. What she'd give for a massage now too. The actors onstage shifted restlessly, a very low buzz of conversation emanating from the crowd. It was going to be a very, very long day.

* * *

**A/N: Oh Lord, cue to cue is the most tiring and tedious rehearsal ever if you're an actor, but it's the most tiring and tedious AND stressful one if you're on the crew. The fastest, most efficient cue to cue I've ever experienced was only three hours long, for a one act (nine scenes) play. But it was a tiny stage, and a lot of looks were reused anyway. We were ecstatic because we had finished before midnight!**

**Haakon is supposed to be the first official royal Norwegian surname. I think. Only 700 words and I already like Ingrid a lot. ****Speaking of Nordics, today's chapter was brought to you by the song 'Butterfly' by Rajaton! Arguably the most beautiful a cappella song ever.**

**PS. I'm not an overtly superstitious person – I totally walk under ladders and a black cat crossed my path a few nights ago - but please never say 'Macbeth' in a theatre or rehearsal space. You never know who you're offending, and I've heard too many stories that support the belief of the curse. It's just being polite and respectful – of both people and spirits :3**

**Review if you're done with classes, just like me! *dances in joy* And if you're not, leave one anyway. After all, I still have one more exam…eurgh.**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: TT-TT 300+ REVIEWS YOU GUYS ARE SO AMAZING. Quite frankly, I'm in total awe at the fact that people have continued reading this; it's a hugenormous ego boost.**

**Uploading live from Vancouver International Airport (sitting in front of my gate, last minute charging of laptop for this twelve hour flight...), I present to you the last tech dress rehearsal! Or ather, the aftermath.**

**PS. I was poking around Himaruya's blog and saw his Catalia designs. Turkey-neko has an evil eye on its rump!**

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"Aaaaand blackout!"

There was much shuffling onstage, with one voice sticking out over it.

"You know, you don't have to SAY it when there finally IS a blackout."

Arthur stood up, stretching his arms. "DON'T LEAVE YET! Notes!"

He threw one leg over the seat backs and clambered down towards the stage better as his tired cast sullenly surged forward, murmuring conversations with each other. Francis got up and settled into the seat next to him as Maddie, Eduard and Ingrid made their way down from the booth.

"Hey, Artie. Honestly, how much else can we change at this point?" Gillian swung her legs over the side of the stage and let them dangle. "Come on, we open tomorrow."

"I know. That means you have 24 hours to think about them," he replied curtly. She sighed as he flipped open his notebook to a page heavily covered in scribbly writing. "We'll begin with the prologue."

"Good energy overall, but Adam, you're taking too much time on the little aeroplane thing. When you're still running around and the Sharks are already there, it looks awkward – it looks like they're waiting for you to finish. Which is awkward, since you're enemies and they would instantly take the chance to jump you…"

"Right, got it. Awkward. Not good."

"Okay. So next scene…Mathias, LINES! We don't have a prompter. Kim, good…Al, don't push her away too quickly and cut her off. 'Jet Song' was great, don't change it."

He ignored the subsequent whoop and fist pump coming from a particularly tall blond who was sitting downstage right.

"Riff and Tony at Doc's…fine, 'Something's Coming,' fine, also perfect, bridal shop scene." Arthur looked up from the page to scan the crowd. He finally located Lovina on the far end on downstage left.

"Er, Lovina? You've been doing fine, but why don't you inject a little more light heartedness in this scene – Anita's your best friend, your confidante, you two can relax and have fun. You even tease her. It's not a serious scene. Play up the comedy, a show with this kind of ending needs it."

"Isn't that HIS job?" She scowled and stuck her chin out towards Alfred's direction.

"Hey! I do more than that; I'm the hero of the Jets!"

"No, dumbass. That would be Tony."

"But I'M the leader."

"ANYWAY," Arthur snapped, "Just…smile more, Lovina."

Francis raised his hand, having been reading over Arthur's shoulder this entire time. "'Dance At the Gym,' you guys need to remember to count. The turns are staggered, and I know you know this, but people are always coming in late. It does NOT look good."

"Also." He scooted forward on his seat, demonstrating with his arms. "Hands turned out: jazz. Facing in: ballet. We want ballet. This is Jerome Robbins, not Bob Fosse."

Arthur nodded. "And a tiny note…er, Ivan?" At that name, everybody's muscles automatically tensed up. The large figure at the back looked up happily. "Could you, erm. Stand next to Yao instead of behind him. Feel free to take another step forward so the audience can tell that Yong Soo stops because of the presence of the police."

"Okay, Arthur!" He leaned forward to peer over Yao's head, smiling down at him. The Chinese boy seemed to wilt under the gaze.

"Other than that, 'Dance' is fine." Arthur turned to the person next to him. "But can you interrupt them earlier?"

Francis shrugged. "Why? The lovers need a moment with each other."

"But it looks AWKWARD."

"New favourite Artie word of the day!" Gillian snickered.

"Shut up, Beilschmidt." He squinted at his own handwriting. "And Eduard, let's change the crossfade from 'Dance' to 'Maria' at five seconds instead of two. It would look better if the ambiance just melted away, instead of a snap."

"Got it."

Arthur flipped the page. "Don't want to take too long, so I'll try to get the most important ones…'Tonight.' Good. Again Lovina, look happier. 'America' and the scene before was excellent, loved the banter…same with 'Officer Krupke,' what else? 'One Hand,' 'Quintet'…Yeah, Act I is looking quite decent, so pat yourselves on the back."

Of course, as soon as he uttered these words, everybody automatically began to reach over to slap their friends as hard as they could, dodging and giggling. Arthur groaned.

"It's good, but not 100% PERFECT! The rumble needs to have an undercurrent of savagery, not just excitement. Bring up the stakes. Look a little LESS happy, Al."

"And I can see the trick when Antonio stabs you. The two of you need to figure out a better angle," HK cut in. "So, fight call on Thursday will be at 5:40. This goes for anyone in the Sharks and Jets."

"Oh yes, I'll just say it now then: call time for each show is two hours before opening. So 6 PM on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, noon on Saturday. Write it down before you forget!" Maddie glanced over to her brother. "And Al, I'll just call you."

"You make your sister deal with your appointments?" Gillian cast a critical eye upon the person sitting next to her. "NOT awesome."

"Dude, I didn't even say anything. She's just COOL like that."

"Would both of you just shut up for once?" Arthur frowned irritably at his two most talkative actors. "Act II! 'I Feel Pretty' sounds great, but Lovina…"

"SMILE!" shouted half the cast along with him. She groaned and hid her reddening face in her arms, and Antonio scooted a bit closer to her in sympathy.

"'Somewhere' was…okay. Tighten it up a bit more on the blocking. It's fine, just clean up the little things. Don't make a gesture unless you're going to commit to it. Tina, good job on the solo," he stated. "'Cool' was amazing. Best performance in the show right now. Gold star for that one. Now, who's helping set change between that and Maria's bedroom?"

Maddie flipped through the prompt script. "Uhh, Berwald, Yong Soo, Adam, Natalya, Kim, and Raivis."

"Let's sort this out because that took far too long and was extremely messy. Who brings on the bed?"

"Adam and Berwald. Raivis does the side table, Natalya does the props, while Kim and Yong Soo deal with the curtain…bar…thingies." Maddie gesticulated vaguely with a hand. "You know what I mean."

"Okay, we're going to take time right now to rehearse that because it looked very messy and I hated it. And I think we need spike marks for the bed and table." He held out a hand, and she rolled her eyes before dropping a roll of bright red electrical tape into it.

"Gillian, I want you to stop being so confident in the shop scene."

"No! That's so unawesome!"

"You're surrounded by enemies, you silly nit! Be scared!"

"So unawesome."

Ignoring the whiny girl, Arthur slumped over. It was a lot of effort to even speak again, with his neck tilted onto the seat back and arms trailing along the floor. "Then it was just the last scene, which I think went well, and 'Finale.'"

"Soooo. Are we done?"

He lifted his head wearily. "Ugh. Fine. Yes. But remember," Arthur raised his voice over the sudden noise of people scrambling to their feet. "Call time is 6 PM, do NOT be late! And yes, I know fight call's at 5:40," he said despondently before HK could open his mouth. Then let his head fall back again.

"The worse the rehearsal, the better the show," he muttered, trying to make every ounce of his body actually believe that.

* * *

Lovina had decided long ago that she was the world's favourite guinea pig in terms of bad coincidences, and this was a pretty good piece of evidence. She stood on the edge of the front doors' top stair, staring at the pouring rain in disbelief.

"Lovi! Still here?"

She didn't even have to turn around to know who was there. Antonio sidled up to her, grinning in spite of the awful weather.

"Raining pretty hard, huh?"

"Noooo," she said scathingly. "It's just great. Now I don't need to take a shower tonight."

"You can't be thinking of walking home like this without an umbrella!" A hand grasped her shoulder firmly and Lovina found herself spun around to face an all too cheerful Antonio. "Wait here."

Without giving her time to demand an explanation, the boy took off down the steps and ran across the parking lot, somehow managing to splash through all the dirtiest, messiest puddles along his path. Lovina was about to shout at him for being such an idiot when she realized he was yanking on the door to a small, red car a few hundred feet away.

Then it was there in front of her, with Antonio shouting out the open window, "Hurry up before the seat gets wet!"

Cursing the universe yet again, Lovina stumbled down the stairs and shot into the front seat. As Antonio pulled out of the school grounds, she glanced around the interior.

Surprisingly well kept for a teenager. Slightly dusty in a few corners, but more or less clean. The driver spoke up.

"85 Fellini Drive, right?"

"Yeah. That means opposite direction," she pointed out bluntly. Antonio smiled sheepishly and made to turn around.

"I knew that!"

"Liar." She folded her arms. And the fact that Antonio's hair still remained curly even when soaked and plastered to his skin was definitely not noteworthy. Not even a tiny bit.

He chuckled as they turned a corner. "Hey, remember four months ago you said you'd never take a ride from me?"

"What? When was that?"

"It was the first day I met you! How could I forget?"

Lovina opted not to answer. Antonio remained smiling until they arrived at her address. After all, it wasn't far. The rain was still beating relentlessly down upon them.

"Okay…see you tomorrow!"

"Yeah, fine." Lovina was not accustomed to cheerful goodbyes, and usually ignored them altogether. So she shoved the door open and ran up the walk to the shelter of the roofed door area, carefully avoiding the patches of muddy grass that constituted as their lawn. She turned around to pull her keys out of her backpack and saw Antonio standing right behind her, dripping with water.

"What the - ?" She nearly dropped her backpack in amazement. "What the hell are you following me for?"

He pushed his sopping curls away from his forehead and answered earnestly. "I just thought that maybe I should make sure you got all the way inside without getting hurt or anything! Arthur would kill me if he knew that I let you get sick or something in the rain."

"That applies to you too, stupid," she said in irritation. Antonio took a moment to mull that thought over in his head. As expected, the light of understanding flipped on in his eyes after a few seconds.

"Oh…"

Lovina finally found her keys and inserted it into the lock, turning it and pushing forward. The door gave, so she turned back to Antonio, who still stood there.

She looked pointedly at her hand on the knob until he started again. "Oh! Okay, have a good night, Lovi."

"Bye. Don't kill yourself either." But just as she lifted one foot to go inside, there was a loud thump and a surprised 'AAHH!'

Lovina whirled around. "HOLY SHIT!" she shrieked.

Antonio had, in all his inattentive glory, missed a step, thusly slipping and falling forward onto the ground. He was now sprawled out in her front yard, as wet as ever, now with a few dirt stains to boot.

Dropping her backpack, Lovina rushed down the steps and over to him. "HEY!" Tugging hard on one slippery arm, she rolled Antonio over onto his back. "BASTARD! Can't I leave you for one second without you going off and doing something so fucking stupid?" She prodded his chest frantically. "You better not say you're hurt or anything, then Arthur's gonna kill ME!"

Antonio silently sat up and blankly stared at her. One half of his face was dripping with mud, streaks covering his shirt and pants as well. Lovina just gaped back at him, taking in the sight of his ridiculous, astonished expression.

Lovina rolled her eyes and dropped back, plopping down onto the pavement. "Typical. Do you even remember what just ha –"

With another yelp, she suddenly jumped up and turned around. Antonio saw that she'd sat down in a puddle, so now her entire bottom and part of her thighs had been completely soaked too.

It was just too ridiculously adorable. He had to laugh as he finally pulled himself to his feet. Lovina gave him a hard shove.

"STOP IT! Shut up, you!" He caught her wrists before she could knock him over. "It's not funny, stop…"

But Antonio could hear a slight tremor beneath her high-pitched protests. When he looked at her, he saw a most peculiar expression that he'd never seen before on her face. She was trying to avoid his gaze, and her lips twitched sporadically as she attempted to chastise him.

"Just go! Geez! We'll BOTH get sick and die," she insisted, nudging him towards his car. Antonio grinned as he placed one leg inside.

"Bye, Lovi!"

"Bye, 'Tonio."

He paused and looked up, surprised that she'd used the nickname, but Lovina was already scooping up her bag and flitting behind the door. Just before it was slammed shut, she made a face at him – an obvious, failed attempt to hide her smile.

* * *

**A/N: When it nears opening night, director notes tend to get rather hilarious. By this point everyone knows each other really well, and many inside jokes have been formed. The director himself will probably have his/her own strange quirks in speech or mannerisms, which are also the basis of said inside jokes…so yeah, director notes are funny. Especially when he's a spastic perfectionist. With a spastic cast.  
**

**Huge props to anyone who can understand the reference in Lovi's address.****  
**

**Since I'm going to be back in Hong Kong with all my old friends, the next chapter will probably not be as 'on time' as usual (come on, it's Christmas! And my parents come back on Boxing Day too!). I will be very busy revisiting old hangouts and stuffing my face with fishballs and eggy waffles. Just a heads up.**

**By the way, the best Christmas present ever would be lots and lots of reviews! C: Have a lovely holiday, everybody!**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYBODY! Hope it has been excellent so far! I know it has been so for me =D So many story ideas have been flooding into my head. I think I'll be posting up a couple of new ones in the next few days C:**

**PS. Fellini refers to this famous Italian film director, Federico Fellini, and I'm rather fond of his movies. The first one I ever saw was**_** 8 1/2 **_**which is why I put 85, as in 8.5...okay, that's pushing it, I know. But yeah.**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim.  
Bye Bye Birdie belongs to Michael Stewart, Charles Strouse, and Lee Adams.**

**

* * *

**

Gillian let out a whoop at the top of the stairs.

"OPENING NIGHT, BITCHES!"

She exuberantly tramped down the steps to join the rest of the cast already assembled on the stage, each of them in varying processes of one of Arthur's favourite warm-ups: roll downs. Said director straightened up with a scowl.

"Thank you for informing us. And for finally arriving. Really, of all days to be late, you picked today? Do you want to give me a heart attack or something?"

"Arthur! Arthur!" Yong Soo hopped up and down, waving one arm in the air frantically. "Can we do shakedowns? Pleeeeeaaase?"

"No! We've wasted enough time as it is. Gillian, you missed dance warm up, so I expect you to do that on your own. Now everybody listen to Roderich for vocal warm-up."

Arthur hopped off the stage and up the stairs where he had deposited his backpack at the left hand highest corner seat. HK, who had been sitting up there next to it, watched him languidly as he sifted through the things in his bag.

"Nervous?"

"Oh, FUCK yes."

"It'll be fine. They know what they're doing." He stretched his legs as Arthur straightened up with a bundle of clothes in his hand. "Changing into formal dress already?"

"There really isn't anything else I CAN do at this point," the older boy sighed. As he stomped out the door, Maddie crept out of the booth to have a chat.

"I guess this is it."

"Yup. Unbelievable, right?"

"Crazy." They paused and listened to the rise and fall of people's voices from below. "But it'll be good."

"Yeah." HK twisted around to give her another of his almost-smirks. "OUR job here is practically done, anyway. Your turn."

"Oh, thanks," she replied wearily before retreating to her hiding place next to Eduard. HK got up and slowly began picking his way down the aisle.

"Hey, guys," he called out. "Dressing rooms are now open. Look for the list of names on each door. We have your costumes hung and labeled inside – Feliks will be here soon to help with any problems. For now, just get into your costumes and makeup."

"And we'll help with makeup for anyone who doesn't know how to do it!" Clara waved towards herself and Elizabeta.

"AND, don't forget to go to Kiku or Heracles for your mics afterward," yelled Ingrid, momentarily sticking her head out from the booth.

"Also, check off your name on the sign-in sheet, I put it up on the call board between the dressing rooms!" Maddie appeared next to her. "Should have told you about it yesterday, sorry…"

"By the way, we ordered pizza," HK shouted over the chatter of students drifting away, heading backstage. "It's in the green room right now, so actually hold on getting into costume yet. Arthur and Feliks both will kill you for getting any stains on them. Now go and get settled!"

Lovina didn't move, but glared up at the crew.

"…How the hell am I supposed to remember all of THAT?"

"Oh, they'll just keep on yelling at us until we do everything they say," said Francis, striding serenely past her. She followed him through the wings, past the props table and down the stairs into a hallway where the dressing rooms were located. Shouts and laughter echoed around them.

"Pizza's heeeeeeeere!" Lovina flattened herself against the wall as a stampede of eager and very hungry teenagers flew past. In the midst of it all, somebody grabbed her arm and began dragging her along.

"Come on, Lovina!"

"Could you guys fuckin' slow down already! It's not gonna run off!"

Francis laughed as he watched her being swept up into the crowd. Little Lovi was much happier than she let on. He continued making his way to the boys' dressing room to put away his things, still thinking about her. And Antonio. Francis smirked to himself. They had it coming, he decided. Tonight would NOT be just any night…he'd make sure of that.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Arthur walked into the green room, straightening his tie. Quietly standing by the door, he watched the buzzing crowd of his peers eating and chatting away in a big group. He had to smile. Not like anyone would probably believe him, but this was why he loved theatre – he liked being surrounded by people. It was kind of the one surefire way he knew he wouldn't be alone, because you could never do anything in drama without having support and help from others. And if something like this would get such a socially unequipped person such as he to have friends, then it could help anyone.

Speaking of such cases, Lovina was leaning against the wall a few paces away, munching on a slice of four cheese pizza, and trying to ignore the ridiculous song-banter going over her head.

_HI LIZZY!_

_HI GILLY!  
_

_WHAT'S THE STORY, MORNING GLORY?_

_WHAT'S THE WORD, HUMMINGBIRD?_

_HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT TONI AND LOVI?_

"Say WHAT?" Lovina yelped, nearly spilling her soda in the process. She twirled around to glare at the two girls, both wearing creepily similar smirks. She was never going to understand them. One second they'd be at each other's throats, then braiding each other's hair and giggling conspiratorially the next. Recently, the latter had been occurring far more often, which was extremely suspicious. "What the FUCK do you mean by that?"

"Chillax, it's just a song."

"You did NOT just use the word 'chillax.' I mean, who still says that?"

"Awesome people do!"

Lovina rolled her eyes and was about to retort with another sarcastic comment, but was interrupted with Arthur leaping up frantically, shouting how they now only had an hour before the house opened.

So the next forty minutes became a blur.

Lovina was shunted along to the dressing rooms, where chaos reigned with reckless abandon. People ran back and forth in varying states of dress (or undress…), giggling madly. Francis in particular was having a ball with this until Vash came forth, deadpan and brandishing a broken coat hanger. A long line-up quickly formed at the makeup station, and the girls were soon so busy that Elizabeta no longer had the leisure to sing random songs anymore. Not that Gillian lacked the enthusiasm to pick up the slack. The noise levels escalated as Maddie periodically checked in with them over the intercom reporting news on the timing and reminding people to set props. Lovina retreated to a far corner in one of the smaller, empty dressing rooms, wishing to be away from all the chaos.

"Ve...Still nervous, Lovi?"

Feliciana had somehow found a way to wriggle down to them. Sneaking through the door, she leaned over Lovina, smiling encouragingly. The amber heart dropped from her sternum towards the floor and dangled back and forth as her torso tipped forward.

She wore that potato idiot's stupid necklace every single day. But seeing it reminded Lovina of another thing – still ignoring Feliciana's question, she reached up and unfastened her own chain from around her neck. Dark green would look awful against white and pink. Feliks would have had a heart attack over it.

Undeterred by her sister's silence, Feliciana patted Lovina on the shoulder. "Don't be scared! It's going to be so good! I gotta go before they find out I left. Bye bye!" With a parting peck on the cheek, Feliciana darted off.

Lovina slowly uncurled herself off from her perch, glancing aside at the clock. 7:20. As if on cue, the intercom crackled to life again.

"Ten minutes until the doors open," Maddie reported. "That's when you have to be quiet if you're actually backstage, got it?"

She supposed she couldn't put off make up any longer now. Lovina opened the door a tiny crack.

"Loooooviiiiii!" The first thing she saw was Antonio running up and down the hallway. He skidded to a halt in front of another dressing room and poked his head inside. "Have you seen Lovina? Elizabeta and Heracles both say she doesn't have makeup and mic yet – Ohh, okay. Thanks anyway…" He gently shut the door and frowned.

He actually looked frightened. It was almost endearing. ALMOST. She debated staying hidden for a while longer, but Antonio's troubled expression kind of ruined the pleasure of the power trip.

"Yo. Over here, bastard."

"Lovi!" All distress melted away in an instant. He grabbed her wrist and began to pull her along. "Come on, this is cutting it kind of close, don't you think?"

Antonio stopped. "Though I guess, you don't need makeup." He gazed fondly at her. "You're pretty enough as it is…"

"Stage makeup isn't for aesthetics; it's to enhance facial features so the audience can see more clearly." Heracles suddenly appeared. He dropped a strap-on stage microphone into Lovina's hands and walked away. The two remaning teenagers stood there awkwardly, and Lovina felt her face burning up.

"Hey, Lovina!" Clara beckoned to her from the open doorway down the hall. "We can do you now, where've you been?"

"Yeah! Go," Antonio gave her a little nudge. "Francis says he wants to talk to me, catch you later, okay?"

She eyed him dubiously. "I don't think it's gonna take long. Be there in a few. Promise." He smiled reassuringly before she finally walked inside on her own. Clara winked as she let the door fall shut behind them. Antonio could hear loud exclamations coming from within – sounded like Gillian was in there too.

Francis's summons better be worth it if it was going to separate him from being at his Lovi's side right now...

* * *

Natalya was creeping up the stairs towards backstage. She couldn't find Ivan in the dressing rooms or the green room. It was very irritating. She thought he might be hiding in the wings, watching the seats being filled up. His older sister, Katyusha, who had graduated two years before, had come back into town to watch the show. Perhaps he wanted to catch her eye and wave…Natalya's heart flipped with a pang of jealousy. He'd never pay as much attention to her.

"Hey, Nat! You seen my show blade? I know you like knives, and you play with them sometimes…"

Her path was blocked by her ridiculous dance partner. Alfred grinned, muscled arms gripping the stair railing as he leaned back nonchalantly. Natalya took a moment to reflect on how most girls in their school would have been falling over themselves at being so close to the basketball star. Silly girls. Although, she guessed, that it was a decent sport to be good at. You had to be tall, and lithe, and quick…

She hastily shook her head. This was distracting her from finding Ivan! Natalya set her sternest glare upon Alfred.

"No, I do not know where your prop is."

"Aww…" He pouted, a plump bottom lip jutting out. Alfred's bright blue eyes wandered about the space. "Artie's gonna kill me, because I have no idea where I left it last time…" They finally settled onto her.

"Wow! You look really great!"

Natalya's train of thought was derailed once again, and she actually looked down at herself in surprise. It was just an orange sheath dress, with a thick brown belt around her middle. Nothing fancy.

"Feliks told me to wear it. So I did."

"Well, I'm gonna say he did a fantastic job!" Alfred grinned at her. She was surprised at the fact that it actually seemed sincere. "And huh, I never saw you with your hair up before either."

The hair had also been Feliks's doing – he'd taken on an additional role of stylist, assisting Clara and Elizabeta. At one point, he'd accosted Natalya, forced her into a chair and after ten minutes of teasing, hairspray, and overuse of the word "mod," she'd left with an elaborately coiffed updo.

"Feliks also told me to wear it." Natalya's eyes flickered up and down Alfred's own costume. "You look very…blue."

He laughed, fiddling with the edge of his denim jacket. "Yeah? Feliks told me to wear it too." He paused. Then, almost shyly, "Guess I better keep on looking for that knife…see you later?"

"Of course. My first scene is with you."

"Oh, yeah! Cool. See ya, Nat." She scooted to the side as he bounded away towards the dressing rooms. Natalya stayed on her step for another minute, trying to remember what she was doing before he had interrupted her.

"Natalya-san?" Kiku appeared at the top of the staircase, headset around her neck and looking concerned. "It's only fifteen minutes until the show begins…do you need something?"

"Yes. Is Ivan there?"

"No, sorry."

"Thank you." Natalya turned and descended. As she reached the last step, she saw something glimmer from beneath the stairs.

It was one of the stage knives. And sure enough, "AL J." had been scribbled along the side. She picked it up, shaking her head. For a moment, her lips might have twitched upwards at the corners just the tiniest bit. But only for the briefest moment. Natalya pocketed the blade and headed back to the green room.

* * *

Having stowed his backpack away in the sound booth with Eduard, Ingrid and Maddie, Arthur stood at the back of the house, staring down at the seats. A good two thirds were filled already, with more people trickling in. Some of them, students, teachers and parents alike, had seen him lurking there and engaged in small chat about the show. Arthur had tried to stay polite, but it was difficult to keep focused on the conversation while being so acutely aware of the time ticking away.

So now, he glanced down at his cell phone for the umpteenth time. 8:03 PM. Quelling his alarm, he scurried towards the booth and ducked inside.

"Let's begin."

"Right." Maddie pressed the intercom button again. "Hey, everyone! Show's about to start. Are we good to go? People ready for the Prologue?"

"HELL YEAH!" Gillian's familiar giggle filtered through the static. "It's gonna be so awesome. 'Cept the poor audience will have to deal with being bored outta their minds until I come in during scene three -"

"Dude! Shut up, Gill!"

"Suck it, Jones!"

"AL! Why aren't you backstage?" Arthur leaned over to bark angrily into the receiver. "You're one of the first people on, you git!"

"Okay, okay! Going."

Maddie gently nudged Arthur out of the way to speak to her assistant stage managers. "Good call. People, don't forget your entrances! Heracles, Kiku, are all the Sharks and Jets ready?"

Heracles mumbled an affirmative, but there was a pause on the other side. Then: "Yes, Alfred-san just arrived on stage right."

"Great. We'll start now then." Maddie motioned to Eduard. "House lights out. Roderich knows that's his signal. Break a leg, guys!"

Arthur slipped back out just as the lights dimmed over the audience, hushing them right away. Only the glow of the small work lights around the band stayed, and he could see Roderich lift one hand to count off the time signature just as he settled into the same back corner seat next to HK.

_Da-DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-dum!_

_Da da da…._

The stage slowly brightened up to reveal the Jets making their way on, scurrying, leaping or treading carefully in time to the music. They formed a tableau: aloof, alert and streetwise. The audience held their breath, waiting for something to happen. Then Alfred, one thumb hooked casually in his pocket, strolled to centre stage, snapping his fingers.

When light glinted off of his glasses, it shot a white-hot flash out into the darkness for a split second. Arthur felt it in his chest like a physical burn.

No backing out now…

* * *

**A/N: And the show begins! Eee! So exciting =D **

**Gahhh! I can't believe we're already here! I'm feeling slightly panicky and very excited. I've grown so attached to this story and its characters. When it ends, I'll be thrilled and sad at the same time…and even now when I go back and read it, I see how far I've come in terms of writing. In fact, I kind of avoid chapters 1-4 because they don't seem as good as my more recent ones :3 Thanks for sticking by, everybody!**

**(Oh, but we're not ending for a fair bit...with such a build up, finally doing the show definitely amounts to more than one measly chapter.)**

**R&R? Oh, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!**


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Once again - HAPPY NEW YEAR! I've had a lot more downtime than I expected (or maybe it's just because at school, there's always a dozen things needed to be done at any given time...) so much writing has been happening! Hopefully I can actually finish up the 5+ stories I began during class time so the plot bunnies may finally REST.**

**So who else followed HetaStreeem (aka Christmas Bloodbath 2010)? I kind of burst with joy at the fact that HK was featured for a decent amount of time. Whooo! (Mochitalia nearly killed me with the hilarity.)**

**In other news, this may just as well be the longest chapter ever.**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim.**

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* * *

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"I say this turf is small, but it's all we got. I wanna hold it like we always held it: with skin! But if they say switchblades, I'll get a switchblade. I say I want the Jets to be Number One, to sail, to hold the sky!"

Alfred pumped one fist into the air as the other Jets cheered.

"Now, protocality calls for a war council to decide on weapons. I'll make the challenge to Bernardo..."

Up in his corner seat, Arthur fidgeted. HK said nothing. He knew that the guy next to him was just waiting for Alfred to make a mistake, but the thing was that he HADN'T. At all. So far, the play was practically perfect as far as they were concerned. Which, of course, annoyed Arthur to no end.

"Remember that day we clobbered the Emeralds?"

Adam nodded. "Which we couldn't have done without Tony!"

"He saved my ever-lovin' neck," Raivis agreed fervently.

"Yeah! He's always come through for us, and he will now!" Alfred ran up the steps of the risers, spreading his arms out wide.

_When you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the way, from your first cigarette to your last dyin' day!..._

As the song progressed, Lovina watched the boys frolick about the stage along with the other girls in the wings. On the other side, Antonio sighed. Francis patted him on the shoulder.

Antonio turned to him with a pout. "Why can't I stand with Lovi?"

"Because, mon cher, it's a much bigger impact when the first she sees you is when you're waiting for her out there."

"So? I talked to her already today."

"As yourself, yes. As Tony, no!"

A few seconds passed as Antonio thought it over. Then:

"I still don't get it."

Francis rolled his eyes. "Just trust me." He grabbed his friend's sleeve as Antonio tried to leave. "Don't move!"

"But-"

"You're on now anyway," Francis interrupted. The lights began dimming for a set change, so Antonio had no choice but to hurry over and help Alfred pull out the shop set. Gillian popped up in his newly vacated spot as the next scene began.

"You're looking diabolically evil tonight." She scrutinized him closely, while he quickly donned his most innocent face. After a few moments, she grinned. "Well, it better be awesome."

He smiled back. "Of course."

* * *

Meanwhile, Lovina's personal levels of horror were steadily rising as she suddenly found herself blinking away in the bright, white flood of the lights. Though Gillian was puttering around busily with a dress in front of her, Lovina's mind could only feel the suffocating breathing of the dark void at her back. Also known as the audience.

"Could we not dye it red, at least?"

"No, we could not." Gillian grabbed Lovina's shoulders and spun her around. Now she was face to face with the blackness. Luckily, Gillian was helping her into the dress.

"White is for babies. I will be the only one there in white..."

"Well?" One firm tug on the zipper and Lovina heard a collective "Ooooh" from the audience, along with a squeal of excitement. At least now she knew where her grandfather was sitting.

"Si, it is a beautiful dress."

* * *

Antonio had never felt more impatient in his entire life. He stood far stage left, watching as everyone else danced to the mambo music. He glimpsed Francis and Gillian whirling around in the middle of the Sharks, and BOTH of them caught his eye and smirked.

He would KILL them if he didn't love them so much.

Lovina felt the exact opposite. Actually, she was trying to hide behind all the other dancers, but Sadiq kept on nudging her forward.

"You need to be over there by the time the music changes," he hissed.

She was about to protest that she really didn't want to be maimed by one of the flailing dancers when the light colours began fading out into a cooler palette. Sadiq gave her one last shove before joining the rest of the people scrambling to new positions on the floor. To Lovina, centre stage felt like five hundred miles away. She sighed and began counting her steps.

Un, due, tre...

The next lighting cue illuminated her path in a crisp, pale blue. She looked up and remembered, with a shock of surprise, that Antonio was headed her way too. The colour of the light made the white of his shirt stand out. In contrast, his skin looked darker, and so did his hair...everything but those green eyes.

All too soon, they were right in front of each other. Very dimly, Lovina heard Peter's triangle ringing out, signaling the countdown for the next dance move. She lifted her arms slowly, trying not to look at Antonio's face.

Because if she did, she just might fall over and throw up. Right there. On stage. Nevermind why she felt that way.

And that's how the rest of that small dance went, though Lovina felt like she was in agony. When they ended, she finally peeked up at him and was disheartened to see the most serious expression.

"You're not thinking I'm someone else?"

"I know you are not."

"Or that we have met before?"

"I know we have not."

Suddenly, the strained look on his face relaxed into the smile she'd come to expect and know so well. "I felt, I knew something never before was going to happen. Had to happen. But this-"

"My hands are cold." She didn't mean to sound whiny, but he gently reached out for her anyway. "Yours too...so warm," she breathed.

"You're not joking me?" Antonio said, bringing up one hand to his lips.

"I have not learned to joke that way. Now I think I never will..."

What was supposed to happen, like they'd done every single other time in rehearsal, was that Bernardo came crashing down and ruining the moment. But as Lovina waited, no Francis popped up to separate them. A second went by...then it was two seconds...now three...

Well, FUCK this.

Antonio started in surprise as the hand he was holding up suddenly shot out of his grip and firmly wrapped itself around his neck. Balancing on her toes, Lovina took in a deep breath before pressing her lips hard against his unwitting mouth.

In the audience, Arthur and HK's mouths dropped open in shock.

In the booth, Maddie and Eduard gasped.

In the pit, Feliciana hugged her violin in order to contain herself from jumping up and down in glee.

Lovina slowly pulled away in horror when she remembered just where exactly she was right now. The look of astonishment had disappeared from Antonio's face, replaced by one of dazzling joy. Eduard's little spotlights didn't stand a chance.

"Hey! Get away from my sister!"

Francis appeared out of nowhere and lazily pried the couple apart. Antonio blinked.

"...Sister?"

"I told you, there's only one thing they want from a Puerto Rican girl."

Antonio's face switched to one of outrage. "That's a lie!"

Francis vaguely wondered whether Antonio was still acting, or if his responses just miraculously coincided with his lines. "Take her home, Chino."

"C..Come on, Maria," Sadiq interjected loudly. Hopefully, the ensuing struggle would be interpreted as Chino trying to force Maria to leave, rather than the other way around - for Sadiq had to practically run after Lovina to keep up with her.

"Maria?" Antonio was back to looking mystified. Francis prayed to whatever higher power there was up there that his friend wouldn't completely lose his head and follow Lovina offstage. He could already picture Arthur sobbing in despair in his little corner seat. And as much as he loved bothering his favourite Briton, that was pushing it a bit too far. He turned to his attention to Alfred, who had just stopped him from crossing the stage.

"I don't want you."

"But we want you." Alfred's hand tightened around the collar of Francis's jacket. "A war council - the Jets and the Sharks."

Ohhh, right. There was another plot in this play.

He tossed his head back coolly. "The pleasure is all mine."

* * *

Kiku looked up in alarm when Lovina and Sadiq rushed in stage right. Lovina grabbed a pillow off the bed prop and squealed loudly into it.

"Wha...what's wrong, Lovina-san?"

"I fucked up EVERYTHING!" She wailed, and Sadiq shushed her hastily.

"They can hear you out there!"

"I don't care anymore." Lovina twisted the sheets worriedly in her hands. "Why why why did I ever agree to do this..."

"You can't back out now, it's the middle of the show!" Sadiq began tugging the blankets away from her. "Come on, Lovina, it's not a big deal..."

"Don't tell me what to do," She snarled, responding with a sharp yank. Kiku watched helplessly at the tug-o-war battle between them. Then, with a clatter of character shoes and hushed giggles, the backstage area was filled with returning Sharks.

"Classy, Lovi," Francis whispered, Gillian snickering quietly next to him. "I'm so proud of you." He quickly caught her wrists before she could pummel him into a pulp.

"Where the HELL were you?" Francis had to jump aside to avoid the savage kick. "You...you...!"

"Careful! I still have to dance later!"

They were all pushed along with the other actors away from the wings and farther backstage. Everybody crowded around.

"Nice improv, Lovina. Did you plan it?"

"So much better than the fake-ass almost-kiss from rehearsal..."

"Man, I wish I could have seen Arthur's face."

Lovina let out a tiny squeak of fear, but Elizabeta put an arm around her shoulder.

"Don't worry. He probably secretly loved it. Arthur's really a hopeless romantic. Come on, think about what musical he picked."

"Looks like someone had fun anyway, right?" Clara nudged her playfully. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Lovina!" Gillian raised her voice as loud as she could in a whisper, and the three other Shark girls swiftly held back their star firmly as she tried to wiggle free. "Stop freaking out! You were awesome!" She forced the girl around towards the stage again. "Listen!"

It was honestly the best rendition of 'Maria' that had ever been sung so far.

_Maria!  
Say it loud and they're music playing.  
Sat it soft and it's almost like praying.  
Maria, I'll never stop saying Maria..._

"You can't let HIM down, can you?" Gillian, with the help of Elizabeta and Clara, gave Lovina a small push up the small flight of stairs that would bring her to the top riser. "Just do it."

The girls let go of her and Lovina peered down, uncertain. Gillian smirked and shot her a thumbs up. With a groan, Lovina clambered up and vaulted back into the blinding lights.

Antonio spun around, beaming. "Maria!"

"Shhh!"

"Maria!"

"Please, if Bernardo..."

Antonio hopped up the first few steps, energy pouring out of him like waterfalls. "He's at the dance. Come down."

"He will soon bring Anita home..."

"Just for a minute, then?" He stared up at her pleadingly. The look was so ridiculous that she forgot about her fear and smiled.

"A minute is not enough."

"For an hour, then."

"I cannot."

"FOREVER!"

The audience tittered in amusement. The Shark girls took to spying on their new favourite couple in the wings. Heracles seemed to have forgotten about his job and was nodding off stage left, so Gillian grabbed his headset.

"Hey, Maddie!" She whispered loudly. "Little Lovi's happy! When do you think the pigs'll start flying in?"

"Wha-Gillian?" There was a buzz of crackling static as Maddie was completely caught off guard in the booth. "Uh...hold that...um, stand by sound cue 6 and light cue 16?"

"Standing by."

"Okay..." Maddie listened for Lovina's line.

_Only you,  
You're the only thing I'll see forever  
In my eyes, in my words,  
And in everything I do  
Nothing else but you,  
Ever!_

"Sound cue 6 and light cue 16 go!" The noises and shadows of the nighttime New York melted away effortlessly into one illuminated spotlight with the click of a button. Maddie returned her attention to the headset. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"How weird is it to see her not looking like she wants to destroy all of humanity?"

"Pretty weird, I guess." Maddie grinned down at the two people onstage. It was really adorable, actually. "Hold on!" The stage manager frowned. "What are you doing with Heracles's headset?"

"He didn't want it! Said I deserved it 'cos I'm awesome!"

Maddie sighed. "Wake him, please."

She winced at the whine filling her ears. "But Maaaaaaddieeeeee..."

"I think you're far more awesome when you're acting, Gill."

There was much shuffling, static, what suspiciously sounded like somebody being kicked, and a faint, "Oof! Wha...? Awesome?...Oh, right," before Heracles's low mumble was distinct again.

"Sorry...about that..."

"Don't worry, it's fine. But please stay alert for the next scene, because a lot of people will be entering and exiting for that one." Maddie couldn't help keeping the grin on her face as she leaned forward to continue watching the song.

_Today, the world was just an address,  
A place for me to live in,  
No better than alright...  
But here you are,  
And what was just a world is a star  
Tonight!_

_

* * *

_

After the scene had finished, Lovina had only descended three steps on the hidden backstage stair when Antonio came tearing around the corner, just barely missing the props table.

"Lovi!"

"Shh!" Sanun shot a bespectacled frown at the hyperactive boy as he made sure that nothing had become unorganized on the table. As always, Antonio hardly noticed.

"Lovi!" She finally hopped off the final step and found herself practically in his face.

"What?" Lovina put on her best glare, obstinately ignoring the heated glow she could feel spreading across her cheeks.

Having spent the last three scenes under the lights, Antonio was burning with adrenaline. "Lovi...why did you kiss me?"

For some reason, he didn't look that happy about it now. Antonio's face was crumpled into an look of...distrust. Lovina squirmed and desperately searched for an escape.

"Lovina!" Antonio grabbed the slender railings of the staircase with both arms, trapping her in. "Answer me!"

She stared at the determined boy, startled. Sanun eyed them crankily again.

"Um..." Lovina's eyes darted around, trying to think of a legitimate excuse. Then, for the second time that night:

Oh, just fuck it.

"It's because I like you, okay!" She gave him a hard shove, remembering just in time to keep her voice down. "I like you and your stupid smiling mouth so I kissed it! There!"

The creases in Antonio's face smoothed out to a blank expression, something she was far more accustomed to. "Really? But I thought you thought I was annoying."

"You ARE annoying. You're the most annoying person to walk the planet. But for some unfathomable reason, I like you more than you're annoying."

They continued to stare at each other, muffled music from beyond the thin backdrop filling the air. Antonio beamed again.

"I like you too!" He exclaimed. Right before leaning over and kissing her tenderly on her blushing cheek. "I like you and your cute little face just like a little toma-"

"Don't push it," Lovina grunted, pulling away. "You're all sweaty and gross right now."

But she did let him take her hand, and she did walk by his side all the way to the green room.

* * *

Arthur's muscles were no less tense as they had been at the top of the show, but now it was due to the play itself. He sat on the edge of his seat, breathless as Alfred readied the Jets to square off against Francis and the Sharks.

_The Jets are gonna have their day, tonight._

_The Sharks are gonna have their way, tonight._

_The Puerto Ricans grumble, fair fight.  
But it they start a rumble, we'll rumble them right..._

The boys casually opened their jackets to reveal shiny switchblades before retreating upstage as the Sharks strolled forward.

_We're gonna hand them a surprise, tonight._

_We're gonna cut them down to size, tonight._

_They say okay, no rumpus, no tricks.  
But just in case jump us, we're ready to mix...  
Tonight!_

The sharp twists and leaps that were so trademark of Jerome Robbins filled Francis's choreography as the two gangs mingled on stage.

_We're gonna rock it tonight,  
We're gonna jazz it up and have us a ball!_

_They're gonna get it tonight,  
The more they turn it on the harder they'll fall._

They separated once more, with their respective leaders advancing menacingly upon the other.

_Well THEY began it!_

_Well THEY began it!_

_And we're the ones to stop them once and for all...tonight!_

Just as they reached each other, almost nose to nose, Alfred and Francis abruptly turned about face to the back and led their gangs away to the corners of the stage, allowing Gillian and the girls to dart in. All of them in black leotards and fishnets, except for one particularly proud soloist in her stunning red dress.

Back in the green room, with his eyes glued to the monitor that was providing live feed, Feliks peed his pants.

Just a little.

The lights dimmed and the girls began a dance of their own, slow and suggestive.

_Anita's gonna get her kicks, tonight.  
We'll have our private little mix, tonight.  
He'll walk in hot and tired, so what?  
Don't matter if he's tired, as long as he's hot...  
Tonight!_

Antonio waltzed onstage, clearly in bliss as he weaved in and out of the crowd of dancers. Black, black, black, with a dot of red and a dot of white. Arthur loved it, though he'd never say so. Which wasn't a problem, because everybody knew already.

_Tonight, tonight, won't be just any night.  
Tonight there will be no morning star!  
Tonight, tonight, I'll see my love tonight,  
And for us, stars will stop where they are.  
Today, the minutes seemed like hours, the hours go so slowly, and still the sky is light...  
Oh moon, grow bright, and make this endless day endless night!_

Lovina appeared at the top of the risers again, but before he could do anything, Antonio found himself blocked by Alfred and the Jets, who pushed him farther and farther downstage as the girls settled themselves in a tableau on the risers' wide steps.

_We're counting on you to be there, tonight.  
When Diesel wins it fair and square, tonight.  
That Puerto Rican punk'll go down, and when he's hollered uncle, we'll tear up the town!_

_So I can count on you, boy?_

_Alright..._

_We're gonna have us a ball!_

_Alright!_

"Womb to tomb?"

"Sperm to worm." Alfred clapped Antonio on the shoulder, who could finally give his undivded attention to the beautiful girl singing the melody.

_Tonight, tonight, I'll see my love tonight..._

_We're gonna rock it tonight_, chanted the Sharks.

_Tonight_, Gillian crowed.

_We're gonna jazz it tonight_, growled the Jets.

_Tonight! _

_And for us, stars will stop where they are!_

It was a miracle how Antonio didn't trip on any stray legs as he flew up the risers. The crazy counterpoint of the music pounded in his ears, in his heart...

_Today, the minutes seemed like hours, the hours go so slowly, and still the sky is light...  
Oh moon, grow bright, and make this endless day endless night!_

_We're gonna rock it, tonight!_

_TONIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!_

_

* * *

_

**A/N: Somebody please tell me that I'm justified for having to stop in the middle of this chapter to hug myself (a la Feli) even though I'M the friggin' author.**

**Hold on, screw this, I'm going to go ahead and hug myself again because I JUST discovered (like 15 minutes prior to posting this online) that _WWS_ is listed on the TV Tropes Hetalia fanfic recs! And we all know just how much of my life has been wasted - I mean, spent on that website. Hug time! Hug for me, hug for all you dear readers, and hug for Lovi and Tonio! Hugs for all!  
**

**I hope Roderich & co. played loud and proud because we seem to have a very chatty backstage cast.  
And I love how Francis and Gillian's "brilliant plans" are in actuality incredibly simple, but just look at the superb results! :3**

**Do I still need to beg for reviews? Because I'm totally ready to grovel if that's the case...**

**PS. New year, new profile poll! =D It has to do with this story's "series" too, so go take a peek if you want to know more about some characters.**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Sorry for the 'late' update...I've returned to Canada and January is looking to become just as hectic as November, if not more. (But it's all my fault; I kind of triple booked myself this month – on TOP of class.) Sooo, I think I'll swear off writing and posting fanfic until February. _WWS_ will be the only thing updated :3  
**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim.**

**

* * *

**

As soon as the house lights came up for intermission, Arthur scrambled out of his seat and made a beeline for the stage door, his assistant director at his heels. It was difficult getting backstage, simply because of the many congratulations and compliments sent his way from theatregoers. Arthur's face was glowing with embarrassed pride by the time he entered the green room.

"Hey," he called out amid the chaotic celebrations that had burst into being. People were squealing excitedly and hugging each other, regaling anyone who'd listen with stories of their experiences onstage. "HEY!" he bellowed. The noise lessened by a hair.

"Yes, yes, you've all done a good job, but there's a whole second act to think about." Arthur fixed them all with a stern look. "Drink lots of water to preserve your voices, make sure your bodies stay warmed up for more danci -"

He was interrupted by somebody tossing the wedding veil from the bridal shop scene over his head. With a shout of laughter, the happy conversations flared up again.

"Lighten up, Señorita Kirkland."

"Don't be such a killjoy!"

"Aw, shut your pie hole, Artie."

"Just warning everyone," he sniffed as HK fluffed up the veil behind him, miraculously keeping a straight face. "And I don't eat pie."

"That is SO not true!" Alfred bounded over, the wire of his stage microphone carelessly dangling from his fingers. "Remember Thanksgiving in fourth grade? You totally came over and we had pumpkin pie for dessert!..."

His story was cut short by Arthur's smoldering glare. The boys stood there in silence until they were shoved apart by a blur of red and silver.

"HEY MADDIE!" Gillian hurled herself at the intercom. "How was I? Awesome, or totally awesome?"

Laughter was heard from the other end. "Extremely awesome, Gill. You were great."

"Wait one mother-lovin' minute!" Alfred pushed his garrulous costar aside. "Your super cool hero brother has gotta be way more awesome!"

"Back off, Jones, I was here first!"

"I got family dibs!"

"You guys don't even have the same last name! And, you're dead! I'm definitely way more awesome than you!"

Eduard and Ingrid snickered mercilessly as Maddie had no choice but the listen to the scuffle through the intercom. Then to her surprise, a loud cheer erupted from the loudspeaker.

"Whoa! What happened?"

She heard an 'OW!' that closely resembled Alfred's typical bleat, before Gillian shouted, "The LOVERS are back!"

Lovina would have been pounding her head against the wall right now were it not for Antonio's death grip on her right hand. She would have to be content with hitting her forehead with the heel of her left palm instead - well, until he snatched that away too.

"Loviiii," He whispered. "I think they want an encore..."

"Tough for them," she retorted, giving him a push with her shoulder. Though, of course, that just brought her face closer, providing Antonio the perfect chance to steal a peck on the nose. Lovina's face burned.

Elizabeta appeared, makeup bag in hand. "Hey, Antonio. Let go of her for just one sec, please?"

He reluctantly gave up his prize and the Hungarian girl instantly began reapplying lipstick. "Practically ate your face off, from the looks of it." Elizabeta looked up at Antonio with a raised eyebrow. "But that means it would be all over his mouth too..."

She smirked as he guiltily hid his sleeves, which looked smudged with something vaguely maroon. Francis sidled up to him, delightfully smug.

"Feliks is going to kill you for that."

Antonio glanced at the short blond in tight jeans, who was blabbering away excitedly to an extremely patient Toris. "Ehh...I'll risk it." He quickly turned back to his friend happily. "Hey, it worked!"

Francis laughed. "Yeah, and so much better than I imagined it." He glanced over where the all the chorus girls were fawning over their red-faced star. "Courtesy of our Lovi, of cou-"

He was interrupted by the intercom sparkling to life again.

"Maddie told me to tell you it's five minutes to the beginning of Act II. So get ready. Elizabeta, Clara and Lovina, be on standby for your entrances. Thanks," Ingrid announced.

She turned off the signal before anybody had a chance to respond. In a matter of seconds, the green room was bustling with people scurrying about with costumes, props, makeup, water and other things, preparing for the next round of performing. Arthur and HK quickly snuck out and hurried back to their seats.

* * *

While that was happening, Roderich was congratulating his band. They did deserve it, after all.

"Excellent so far. Nothing went drastically wrong. We can do this, you guys."

However, being situated right in front of the stage made them susceptible to side conversations with family and friends, so things quickly melted into a much more casual manner. But Ludwig remained stiffly encased in this metaphorical ice.

"Veee! Luddy, can you believe what happened?" A familiar squeal ricocheted off his eardrums. "I almost forgot to start playing again, it was so, so, so...eeeeee!"

Feliciana's arms squeezed Ludwig's abdomen until he was sure his body was going to snap in two.

"Um, actually...I was busy counting off the bars. And I was facing the other way. So I didn't see what happened."

"You DIDN'T see?" Feliciana, in her excitement, had crawled onto his lap. "LOVI KISSED ANTONIO AND IT WAS SO CUTE I can't wait until they grow up and get married and have babies then I can be an auntie oh I knew it I knew it I knew she liked him Luddy isn't it just grand?"

Lovina? Showing affection? That was a new one for Ludwig.

"Oh. That's good."

"It's the BEST!" Feliciana sighed, snuggling up against him. "Sooo, did you play well, ve?"

He shrugged, nervously looking around for a teacher marching forward to berate him for the PDA. Luckily, Mrs. Tackett had chosen not to attend the play that night. Feliciana remained oblivious to Ludwig's apprehension.

"Does your embouchure hurt, ve? Embouchure," she giggled. "It's such a funny word!" Delicate violinist fingers wandered up towards his lips.

Ludiwg pulled away in alarm. "It's French."

"Oooh! Then I should ask Francis about it!"

"He doesn't play an instrument."

"Veee, you're no fun...GRANDPA!" She shrieked right into his ear. Ludwig looked up, and to his horror, an elderly Italian man was beaming down at the two of them.

"Feli!" The man leaned down and hugged Feliciana, neither of them seeming to mind that there was a completely unrelated person in their midst. A completely unrelated and rather mortified person.

"Did you see Lovi?" Feliciana eagerly scrambled to her knees, using Ludwig's strong, broad shoulders to hoist herself up. "That's Antonio!"

"Ooooh! So THAT'S Antonio! Not bad, not bad at all!"

"I know, veee! Aren't they cute? She really likes him!"

Ludwig couldn't see a thing with Feliciana's body practically smothering him. Wait. Body?

He tore his gaze away from her chest and gasped, "Feli! Stop...I mean, could you please..."

"Oh! I can't believe I forgot," She chirped gaily, thankfully pulling away. "This is my Ludwig, Grandpa Roma." She proceeded to plant a kiss right on his horrified face.

Grandpa Roma seemed unperturbed that his granddaughter's boyfriend seemed uncomfortable with the situation. He simply laughed and reached out to ruffle the perfectly combed blond hair vigorously. "You two are so cute too! I'm so happy that my darling girls have found such nice boys to take care of them."

The house lights began to fade. Roderich hurried back to his piano, putting on the headset to connect him with the booth.

"Ah! I guess that means I'll go back to my seat. See you two after, and don't forget to introduce me to Antonio!" With a wave, Grandpa Roma disappeared into the growing darkness. Feliciana slowly stood up as well, leaning over very, very close.

"Bye bye Luddy," She whispered breathlessly into his ear before scurrying back to her chair. Ludwig stared blankly after her. Thank God that Act II didn't open with a song, or else he'd have been utterly, hopelessly screwed.

* * *

HK loved watching Arthur when he was at a loss for words. It was a very rare occurrence, since Arthur had an opinion on anything and everything. HK had an extensive collection of fond memories that involved Arthur overreacting to a great many number of things. Once, he even had to cover his mouth with a book just to hide a smile from the infuriated Brit.

But this time, he couldn't spare the energy to make fun of his favourite subject, for the sole reason of being equally spellbound by the scene onstage.

_I feel pretty!  
Oh, so pretty!  
I feel pretty, and witty, and bright!  
And I pity,  
Any girl who isn't me tonight._

Lovina was having absolutely no problem skipping around the stage. This was normal ("There's nothing damn wrong with my legs, asshats!"), but on her face was a warm, winning, dazzling smile.

_I feel charming!  
Oh, so charming!  
It's alarming, how charming I feel!  
And so pretty,  
That I hardly can believe I'm real!_

HK leaned over and whispered, "Do you think it's possible that she and Antonio made out so hard that they switched mouths in the process?"

Arthur didn't respond, still gaping at the girl twirling merrily around the set.

_See the pretty girl in that mirror, there?  
Who can that attractive girl be?_

Good question.

_Such a pretty face, such a pretty dress, such a pretty smile, such a pretty me!_

_I feel stunning,  
And entrancing,  
Feel like running, and dancing for joy!  
For I'm loved  
By a pretty, wonderful boy!_

Lovina continued to flounce around the stage as Clara and Elizabeta took over.

_Have you met my good friend Maria?  
The craziest girl on the block!  
You'll know her the minute you see her!  
She's the one who is in an advanced state of shock._

_She thinks she's in love, she thinks she's in Spain,  
She isn't in love, she's merely insane!_

HK had to restrain Arthur from getting up in a panic when Lovina stopped dancing. She deftly spun around to face the audience, closed her eyes, spread out her arms and fell backwards confidently - caught perfectly by Clara and Elizabeta. Arthur sighed in relief. The girls continued their banter.

_It must be the heat.  
Or some rare disease!  
Or too much to eat,  
Or maybe it's fleas!_

Lovina's eyes snapped open and she automatically began chasing her friends, who were still singing:

_Keep away from her, send for Chino!  
This is not the Maria we know.  
Modest and pure, polite and refined,  
Well bred and mature, and out of her mind!_

Said subject of the song clambered up onto the bed, triumphantly draping one of the sheets over her head.

"Miss America, Miss America!"

"Speech!"

_I feel pretty!  
Oh, so pretty!  
That the city should give me its key!  
A committee  
Should be organized to honour me._

_I feel dizzy!  
I feel sunny!  
I feel fizzy, and funny, and fine!  
And so pretty,  
Miss America can just resign!_

A flirtatious toss of the cloth brought out a gale of laughter through the audience. Arthur finally blinked, and turned to look incredulously at HK.

"She had THIS in her all along? Why didn't she bring it out sooner? I lost a good amount of sleep over this damn song -"

He was shushed as the girls went on.

_See that pretty girl in that mirror, there?  
What mirror, where?  
Who can that attractive girl be?  
Which, what, where, who, who, who?  
Such a pretty face, such a pretty dress, such a pretty smile, such a pretty me!_

_I feel stunning!  
And entrancing!  
Feel like running, and dancing for joy -_

As she dashed past the curtains flanking the stage right wings, Lovina glimpsed three beaming faces looking out at her. One outshone the rest of them.

_For I'm loved,  
By a pretty, wonderful boy!_

_

* * *

_

In thirty minutes, the lighthearted atmosphere had dropped by leagues as the play drew to a close. Everyone in the audience were on the edge of their seats, leaning forward and squinting into Eduard's dim lighting design, not noticing when Peter Kirkland lifted one of his sticks to smash it down onto the snare drum. Hard. The resulting noise was a crack resembling a gunshot.

Lovina ran forward to catch Antonio before he hit the floor. He looked up at her with half-lidded eyes. His Lovi was so cute when she looked worried like that!

"I didn't believe hard enough..."

She carefully curled her arm beneath his neck. "Long is enough."

"Not here. They won't let us be."

"Then we'll run away!"

He smiled, just a little bit. "Yes, we can, we will..." Lovina knelt and faintly began to sing a cappella.

_Hold my hand and we're halfway there.  
Hold my hand and I'll take you there.  
Somewhere...  
Some day..._

As much as he wished to look at her longer, Antonio closed his eyes. Lovina slowly got to her feet and stared at the rest of the cast, who had all assembled around them onstage.

"Stay back." She stuck her hand out and Sadiq timidly placed the prop gun into her hand. A lot of people had pointed out how fake looking it was, with the little orange tip at the end - Vash had even offered to lend a pistol from his family's collection, but Arthur had turned that offer down rather quickly. Still, nobody was complaining now.

"How do you fire this gun, Chino? By pulling this little trigger?" Sadiq backed away from Lovina's outstretched arm. "How many bullets are left, Chino?"

"One for you?" Lovina whirled around wildly. The glare was back on her face. "And you? And you! All of you!"

"We ALL killed him! And my brother, and Riff. I, too. I can kill now, because I hate now. How many, Chino? How many can I kill, and...and still have one left for me?"

Lovina's angry stalking about the stage had brought her back to the still figure on the floor. She dropped the gun, which was hastily picked up by Mathias. Once more, Lovina carefully knelt by Antonio's body.

"Te adoro, Anton...io."

She almost started when a low whisper, so quiet that only she could hear it, reached her ears.

"Te adoro, Lovi."

Lovina stared at Antonio's tightly shut eyelids, and didn't take her eyes off him even when the other boys came to pick him up and carry him offstage. She didn't move when the rest of the cast slowly followed the body in a remorseful procession, letting the last few lingering bars of the finale envelop her like a numbing blanket.

* * *

**A/N: I'm not 100% about this, but someone once told me that stage guns have to look obviously fake, for safety reasons. But now that I'm mulling over the other weaponry I've seen in theatres, perhaps it was just that one venue's regulations. Still, as long as you act the shit out of it, it doesn't matter! Go Lovi!**

**And, watching Natalie Wood's performance of that last monologue in the film...wow. What a great actress. She would be in her 70s if she had lived...sigh. **_**West Side Story **_**is such a genius work, brought home by this chilling ending.**

**Buuuut! As a writer incapable of angst, OUR ending will be as warm as freshly baked cake! Mm, cake. Reviews would be great, just like cake.**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Ugh, one week and I'm already exhausted. Even fell asleep in rehearsal last night. That was awkward. Hey! Maybe posting another chapter will make things better.**

**So, yeah. I actually wrote most of this a loooong time ago, before they'd even STARTED rehearsals. It was during my "Let's create extremely detailed backstories about everyone's life, particularly Arthur's!" phase.**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein.**

**

* * *

**

The lights dimmed to black, plunging the house in darkness, and Lovina was jolted back to the present by deafening applause. She hurriedly ran backstage where everyone was crowding around the tiny stair leading to the top riser. With the sound of clapping covering the voices, people were already giggling and chatting.

"Lovina! Over here!"

An arm stuck out of the confusion to grab her own, pulling Lovina out of the confusing mass of actors. Gillian and Francis grinned at her.

"Awesome show, Lovi-pants!"

"Whatever." Lovina started when the volume went up slightly as the chorus girls made their way through the one opening, chorus boys waiting in line behind them. "How are you and Al going to fit through that?"

Francis looked up at the backdrop, which was swaying dangerously. Kiku stood to one side, nervously holding it steady. "Hmm, I'll probably go first. He had more to do, so going after me makes more sense."

"Why can't we go out together?" Gillian curled her arm around his, latching on firmly. The Jet boys were beginning to leave in pairs. "Seems unfair that you have to be with that unawesome lame-ass."

Francis laughed and patted her hand. "You're too awesome to share a bow with anyone, Gilly."

She smirked and stood up straighter. "DAMN right!"

Vash disappeared from sight at last, delighted yells emanating from the tiny opening. Francis gently unlatched himself from Gillian. "See you lovely ladies later."

He and Alfred ran up the stairs and through the doorframe, provoking renewed accolades of cheering from the audience. As Gillian impatiently hopped up and down the steps, Antonio finally appeared out of nowhere, beaming at Lovina.

"Lovi!" He held out a carnation towards her. "I can't believe we did it! It's wonderful, isn't it?"

"Where the hell did you get that from?" Nonetheless, she accepted it. "And why?"

"Anything for you, Lovi..." Antonio was distracted by a roar of laughter. Obviously, Gillian had just made her entrance. "Ooh! Let's go, or we'll be late!"

"Wait! I'm still holding your damn flower!"

Too late, because he was towing her up the stairs again. Before Lovina could say anything again, they'd burst through the poor, feeble opening into the positively dazzling lights. The audience was still hidden in the dark, but the subsequent noise proved that they were definitely, unmistakably there. What's more, the neat little rows that Arthur had shouted into being a mere three days before were also jumping up and down, celebrating their two friends who were blinking at the top of the risers, hand in hand.

Antonio was the first to move, smiling widely at everybody as he led Lovina downstage. At the edge, she accepted Gillian's outstretched hand. As one long chain, the entire cast lifted their hands in triumph, giving their final bow of the night to a standing ovation.

"Yeah!" Alfred's joyful shout was faint amid the thunder.

Everybody then pointed first to the band, and then to the booth, allowing the two hardworking groups a moment of recognition. Then finally, Eduard clicked the lighting board's go button one more time, so Arthur and HK found themselves as the focus of one moving spotlight.

Lovina joined in with the clapping as she watched the smaller Asian boy tug on the older teen's jacket until Arthur stood up to take a short bow. After he straightened, Arthur waved a hand as if to say, 'Alright, alright, now leave me alone!'

The gesture drew out another breath of laughter, bringing the house lights up with it. Some people hopped unceremoniously offstage to greet friends and family, but Lovina looked at Antonio. He just smiled, and they walked back to the dressing rooms together.

* * *

Arthur stood to the side, smiling at the chaos that had erupted backstage. Everybody was milling around, talking excitedly about their finest moments, wiping off stage makeup, and still belting their favorite tunes. You'd think they just won a competition or something. Some parents and friends had found their way to the dressing rooms to dole out praise and gifts. He saw the Vargas girls being showered with kisses by an elderly man who greatly resembled them - Lovina was turning as red as the bouquet of roses in her arms. Or due to breath restriction, as the man squeezed her tightly, chattering the whole while. Arthur watched as Antonio ran over to them, beaming widely with his own parents in tow, and the blush never left Lovina's cheeks as the families were introduced. He laughed quietly at her predicament, and thus was completely off guard when somebody grabbed his arm.

"Yes?"

He was suddenly pulled into a bear hug. First confused, as nobody in his family (save for Peter, of course) had been available to watch it on opening night, he slowly recognized this particular scent of sweat and deodorant mixed together. He hadn't smelled it in years.

Arthur abruptly pulled himself out of Alfred's arms. "What was that for?"

Alfred grinned at him, microphone tape still on his face and neck. Arthur resisted the urge to rip them off. "For being such a good director and friend!"

"Oh, so we're friends now?"

"Well, finally spending time together kind of applies, even when you're just yelling at me." Alfred's expression grew solemn as he searched Arthur's face. "You know, even when...that happened, and we didn't talk anymore, I always thought of you as one of my bestest buddies."

Arthur blinked. "But...you...we..."

"Just because I'm not in love with you doesn't mean I don't want to be with you!"

The two boys stared at each other, unsure of what to say now that the awkward block between them had finally resurfaced. Arthur felt pain shooting through his core, startling him. He had buried that ache deep inside long ago. Almost four years, actually.

"Didn't we have fun?" Alfred persisted. "The field trips, playing soccer, that rock band we tried to form...I know they meant something to you. I don't know why you think that I didn't care about it either. It's just that, um, I don't swing that way." He scratched his nose, at a loss for words once more.

Arthur barely heard this. He felt as if he was fourteen again and it was the summer before he started Hetalia High. Alfred was thirteen and going into his last year at their middle school.

_"Dude, I can't believe you're gonna be a high schooler!"_

_"Yeah, it's weird, isn't it?"_

_"Definitely. I can hardly imagine not having you around all the time anymore."_

_"Thanks. That's very sweet of you."_

_"Yup! It'll be great! I'm finally free from your tyrannical spell!"_

_"What? You won't miss me? You git!"_

_Arthur rolled over on his stomach and punched Alfred in the arm, who just bleated with laughter. They were alone, lying on the floor of his room, finally bored of playing Super Smash Bros. Alfred had his eyes closed and was smiling lazily. The sunlight streaming in revealed a halo of dancing dust particles over his peaceful, perfect face. Nobody else was in the house. Heart pounding, Arthur leaned over his friend, and pressed his lips against his._

_He was thrust backwards as Alfred jolted upwards, blue eyes wide and face red._

_"What the hell?"_

_Arthur's heart plummeted and he desperately tried to think of any plausible excuse. "I...er..."_

_Alfred jumped to his feet, breathing heavily. Without another word, he grabbed his bag and ran to the trapdoor, shoving it open so hard that it bounced back. He jumped onto the staircase below, and just before he disappeared completely from view, he glanced back at Arthur, glaring. An hour later, the heartbroken boy was still sitting there on his knees, tears rolling down his face._

Present day Arthur pushed down the same hot, painful sensation that had burst out of him on Valentine's Day and scowled up at Alfred. "You could have said something like that then."

"I tried to! I called you later about it!"

"Really?" Arthur combed his memory. Oh, right. Alfred had called his house a week later, having made no contact with him since the incident. Arthur had refused to answer, and spent the rest of the month either hidden in his room or the library, looking up random books. It was there where he discovered Shakespeare, Moliere, Chekhov, Strindberg, and his love for theatre. But he never told his parents, his brothers, or anybody else where Alfred had gone, or why he was never seen in their household again.

"I never told anyone. Not a soul." Alfred now looked irritated and folded his arms. "So you have no reason to be mad at me anymore. I spent the last three months trying to get back on your good side, and I've told you that I still like you as a friend. My part is done, so you can either accept my apology or continue being the stubborn dork you are." He turned to leave.

This time, it was his arm that was tugged backwards. Alfred spun around and was pulled into a tight embrace, Arthur burying his face into his shoulder. The taller boy was surprised, but smiled and hugged him back. They stayed in that position for a few seconds.

"Um...Arthur? You can let go of me now."

They stepped apart. Arthur sighed.

"I'm sorry for not hearing you out all this time."

"It's okay. How about you make it up to me?"

"How?"

Alfred nodded down the hall towards the theatre foyer. The Wang family stood in the doorway, Yao with his arm around Tian Wei, and HK being congratulated by his father and mother. Arthur looked back at Alfred suspiciously.

"What?"

Alfred sighed. "For some great director who has the ability observe every tiny detail onstage, you sure are blind to real life." He pointed at the middle Wang sibling. "That kid is so damn dedicated to you. And it's really nice of him, considering your personality." Arthur shot him another scowl, which was duly ignored. "Ever thought why?"

Arthur was speechless. After that episode, he had made a great effort to avoid any unfortunate implications with anybody. Any romantic notion had been automatically pushed out of his head, and he'd directed all his energy towards theatre instead.

Though...lately...in the past few weeks, whenever he'd been stressed (which was very, very frequently), there was one person he'd turned to. Arthur knew he had a tendency to latch onto people, but this was different, in a way he couldn't express.

Alfred patted him on the back and walked away, finally peeling the tape from his skin as he left. Arthur continued standing alone for a few minutes, lost in thought as he tried to recount all the things he'd done with HK. There were far too many memories to consider.

"Hey. Are you okay?"

The question knocked him out of his reverie. Arthur looked over to see the very person on his mind peering up at him.

"Oh...yeah..."

"I saw you with Alfred." HK's eyes darted from Arthur's face, to the floor, then back up again. "You two are...fine?"

"Yeah. Never been better, actually."

"That's good."

Uncomfortable silence followed. Arthur shifted nervously beneath HK's steady gaze. What could he say? He wasn't even sure if Alfred was right. And anyway, he himself hadn't considered any real possibility between them until five minutes ago.

HK waited patiently as Arthur simply stared at him. After another minute of listening to the other cries of happiness swirling around them, Arthur began.

"Well, I...I want to ask yo-"

A small beeping sound, accompanied by buzzing interrupted him. HK reached into his pants pocket to pull out a vibrating cell phone. He flipped it open and scanned the message.

"I'm sorry. My family's waiting for me outside."

"Oh. Then you should go."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow."

HK looked at him for a few seconds. Then, he nodded and turned around. As he walked away, he glanced over his shoulder back at him before disappearing from sight.

Arthur watched him go, conflicted.

* * *

**A/N: Now we know what happened between Alfred and Arthur :3 Might have been a tad obvious? Or cliche...This is one of those things that makes me squirm uncomfortably when I read it over because I don't know how it comes across. But still, hooray, they've reconciled! Alfred is such a sweetheart, really. I know that of all the 'supporting' characters in this story, I definitely spent the least time on him, which kind of sucks :C And as for Arthur and HK...well...not everyone can have happy endings. Sometimes, the most you can get is slightly awkward and uncomfortable.**

**But Antonio and Lovina, now there's a fairytale! =D Don't even get me started on Feli and Ludwig. Those guys are BEYOND fluff.**

**So the moral of the story is: as long as you're Italian, love will come to you and be spectacular xD**

**The next update...may be the last, so pleeaase don't forget to R&R!**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Before anyone mentions it, I will assure you that bars definitely serve pancakes at 9 PM. Breakfast is awesome any time of day. And, pancakes are definitely better than waffles.**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim.**

**

* * *

**

"No, no! He said it's a block WEST of Bradley and Grumman!"

"Are you sure? Because I distinctly remember Arthur saying to turn right."

"Yeah, and right is west."

"No, it's east! We're coming from Briggs station, so..."

"So it's right! Geez! I'm right!"

Lovina was walking slowly on purpose, just so she could distance herself from the arguing friends. She made an audible, irritated noise when Gillian decided that she'd finally had enough and simply yanked Francis's touchscreen phone out of his hands, intending to look up the address herself.

"Look, couldn't we just CALL someone who's already there and ask?"

"We could, but Gilly loves playing with the apps." Antonio smiled at her and set their connected hands swinging. Lovina still couldn't believe that she'd agreed to go to this cast party together - though Antonio had made a very valid argument by pointing out that it's what everyone would expect, anyway. It was two weeks after closing night. After their last, final performance, people had been laughing and crying and hugging each other, already moaning about how they had post-show withdrawal and would miss everyone...they all went to same damn high school, for crying out loud. There wasn't any need to worry about not seeing someone anymore - in fact, it would probably be even harder now to ignore them.

Like Antonio, for instance. Lovina stared at their swaying arms. He'd been on her case the day she'd set foot into the school auditorium, and had never stopped bothering her ever since. Not that Lovina had thought his care would wane after the show ended...and not that she'd gotten very nervous about it either...but, needless to say, it hadn't. Not one bit. He went to ridiculous lengths to be with her all the time, insisting on walking her to classes even if his was on the other side of the building, picking her up in the morning, driving her back. The last part meant, of course, that sometimes he would also take really random detours to shower her with affection elsewhere.

It was weird and embarrassing, to get so much attention from one person.

But nice, too.

"Loviii..." A whine with a slight Spanish accent brought her back to the present. "Are you even listening to me? What are you thinking abo-"

"HA!" Lovina grimaced. Trust Gillian to ruin the moment. "I TOLD you to turn right! Am I awesome or am I awesome?"

"Fine, you're awesome!...Bon dieu..."

"I heard that!"

Lovina waited until Francis and Gillian had set off around the corner before answering.

"I'm thinking there better be some damn good food at this restaurant."

"Oh, it's good!" They hurriedly crossed the street, and Lovina suppressed the desire to flip off the guy who nearly ran them over. "I went there once before. It's also really cheap, which is why I guess Arthur picked it for the cast party..."

"That, and they don't card," Francis smirked. "Or rather, they just don't care."

He and Gillian were waiting for the two of them to catch up in front of a dimly lit restaurant. Lovina could already see the familiar heads of the other cast alums already inside through the windows. As Francis pushed the door in, Lovina caught the word _TIBBY'S_ painted proudly on it.

"Perfect timing!" Alfred waved excitedly to them from across the room, nearly knocking over one of the vintage fans in the process. "We were about to begin the video without you guys."

Almost the entire place was packed - then again, there WERE a lot of people involved in the production. Lovina looked about, recognizing many faces that had become so familiar - Elizabeta and Clara giggling with Feliks in a corner, HK listlessly sandwiched between Arthur and his brother (the latter sporting a wonderful case of Asian glow, which his other seatmate - Ivan - seemed to be greatly amused by), Heracles and Kiku sitting quietly with other stagehands, and even her own sister digging into an enormous plate of pasta as Ludwig watched.

Gillian dragged them over to a tiny table in the centre, beneath an enormous ceiling fan. "I totally forgot we filmed a video! Sweet, I'm going to be so awesome in this."

Lovina snatched up a menu and buried her nose inside it. So it was official. _West Side Story _was finally over. Four months of torture, turmoil and other unsavoury notions that began with a T. Four months of being surrounded by a bunch of batshit crazy people. Four months of one really, really annoying Spaniard who decided he was going to lengthen that time to...whenever. Lovina's cheeks flushed pink and she ducked even lower past the pages.

"Hey, Lovi, whatcha doin' over here?" A tug on the side of the menu opened it up to include Antonio. "Ohh, good idea..."

He smirked and scooted his chair closer. Delicate pink gave way to deep red.

"You bastard! Everybody we know is here!"

"They're too busy watching themselves fall over dancing," he replied, slipping one arm around her waist. Before Lovina could protest anymore, he pulled her up towards him into a passionate kiss.

Four months. From running away from his idiotic guts to making out in the middle of a restaurant. What an epic journey.

From his seat against the wall, HK pocketed his phone in satisfaction. Maddie eyed him from across the table.

"What are you doing now?"

"Nothing. Just a little treat to put on Facebook later."

Arthur set down his empty glass. "Who wants to get another pitcher?"

HK gave Yao a long stare before turning back. "Hooray. I'm surrounded by drunks."

"I am not drunk!"

"You will be soon."

Alfred slammed a hand down in the middle of their table in urgency. "Shhh! The Jets Song is the best part!"

"Stupid git! If there'd been something in these glasses you would have spilled everything! And as director, I beg to differ. There were plenty of excellent scenes..."

Maddie ignored the boys and peered at the menu. "Anyone want to share pancakes with me?"

"I WILL!"

Maddie started in surprise as pale arms appeared out of nowhere to wrap around her chair. Gillian grinned down at her. "Pancakes are awesome! With loads of butter and maple syrup!"

"Waffles are better."

Gillian whirled around to shout back at the daring soul who had made the comment. "Are you nuts? PANCAKES ARE THE MOST AWESOME THING IN THE WORLD!"

"I don't mind sharing with you, but we're at different tables," Maddie pointed out.

"That's easy. Come sit with us!" Gillian grabbed her shoulder and started to plough back through the chairs. "We're so much more fun than these dorks anyway."

Alfred's eyes were focused completely on the screen, and Arthur just rolled his eyes. HK did nothing, except to pull out his phone to take another photo as Maddie was helplessly hauled off.

Meanwhile, Lovina had completely forgotten where exactly she was when a loud cheer erupted around them. Prying herself away from Antonio, she looked around in confusion.

Francis laughed at them, before pointing at the screen. "Just celebrating your sensational improv, ma cherie."

She groaned at the sight. Antonio chuckled. "And you were embarrassed of kissing right here, Lovi..."

Lovina scowled and turned to her other side. And received a shock when she saw Maddie sitting next to her. When had she shown up? The girl was like a ninja, sometimes.

Said suspected warrior smiled at her. "Want a pancake?"

Gillian pouted. "Hey! I thought you were sharing with me!"

"It's okay, we can share instead," Antonio said reassuringly. "What do you want, Lovi?"

She tore her stare away from the other two girls to the menu. After spending a good twenty minutes behind the thing, she still had no idea what was on it. "Umm. Veggie omelette."

"With extra tomatoes?"

"Better be, assface."

They informed a baleful-faced waiter of their order, and Antonio grabbed her hand. "Lovi?"

"What?"

"Are you happy?"

"...What?"

"You see, I'm so happy when I'm with you. And it would be sad if you weren't...because, well, that's the opposite of happy!"

Lovina rolled her eyes. "Did you _just_ figure that out?"

"I just want to make sure...you don't always look like it."

"Looking doesn't mean anything." She pointed at the other tables. "I got plenty of examples for you here. Berwald, HK, potato face, even scary bitch."

Though there was a bread basket right in front of her, Natalya was staring hungrily at Ivan, not seeming to see Alfred trying to get her attention from down the table. Lovina felt a twisted sense of pleasure at watching him fail miserably. In the end, he returned to gabbing away to Arthur - who, for once, wasn't giving him the glare of doom that usually was especially reserved for the tall blond.

"Loooooviiiiii..."

She irritably turned back to him. "Alright! Let's just say that the only thing that could make me happier right now is the damn food that's taking forever!"

As if on cue, the same glum chap who'd taken their order returned with a heavy plate of omelette. Antonio grinned as it was set down in front of them, picking up his fork.

"Then I'm personally going to make it my job to make you happy!" He jabbed it into one of her beloved tomatoes and held it in front of her.

"I'm perfectly capable of feeding myself!" She grabbed her own fork and shoved it into the mess of eggs and vegetables. "And what if making me happy turns out to be totally shitty?"

"Hmm, but I'm happy when you're happy. So it works out for all of us in the end!"

Lovina shot him a skeptical look. Then she looked down at her hand. "Fine..."

Antonio jumped a little as his mouth was nearly skewered with a mushroom. "Eat up, idiot! Because when you're happy, I'm happy, so you're happy, and I'm happy, and now I'm gonna stop before Gillian hears and gets annoying about it. Like singing that damn Circle of Life song or whatever."

He stared in surprise at the smirking girl. "What?"

She pushed the fork harder against his lips. "EAT."

Antonio obeyed. Or at least, he tried to. The mushroom slipped off the prongs, but he quickly caught it in his hand before it hit the floor. "Ah! Got it!"

He was still chewing when another loaded fork came coming his way. Antonio sat there, blinking with egg all over his nose.

Lovina leaned back in her chair, screaming with hysterical laughter. He smiled wryly back at her. "Okay, but you're going to eat it off my face."

She promptly stopped in mid-giggle. "WHAT?" The fork slipped from her fingers. "No!"

"Come on!" He leaned forward, a Cheshire grin spreading across his features. "You can do it, I know you can."

"You crazy stupid sicko pathetic..."

Neither of them paid any attention their own voices coming over the speakers.

_Tonight, tonight,  
The world is full of light.  
With suns and moons all over the place.  
Tonight, tonight,  
The world is wild and bright,  
Going mad, shooting sparks into space!  
Today, the world was just an address,  
A place for me to live in,  
No better than alright…  
But here you are,  
And what was just a world is a star  
Tonight!_

FIN

* * *

**A/N: Tibby's is a restaurant from **_**Newsies**_**, the fandom that first brought me to this site: an online friend began a**_** Newsies **_**fic, so I created an account to keep up with it. And now here I am with stories of my own C:**

**...A finished, 29 chapter story that spanned roughly half a year. Wow. **

**I can't thank the readers enough for staying by this long, and for my first actual fanfiction too. Thanks to you guys, I'm totally sucked into this writing scene now - I hadn't written anything for fun since I was like, eight. And while I did have fun doing creative writing in high school, it always felt more like schoolwork. Thank you for giving this back to me, everyone!**

**So yes, there will be some pre/sequels. I've actually written a whole bunch already. But the poll will also be taken into account (a few options were thrown in there just on a whim, so I'm surprised at how some received such enthusiastic responses), so don't forget to vote if you haven't****,**** and want to see more C:**

**Just a heads up: I also have two omakes that are 15****0****% silly and don't contribute to the story/characters at all.**

**BUT THANK YOU ALL AGAIN! I hope you'll still come across my stories in the future and enjoy them too.**


	30. OMAKE: Alternate Chapter 4

**OMAKE - ALTERNATE CHAPTER 4**

**A/N: Also known as the crap Miriam and I come up with after making many inside jokes about Arthur Kirkland and wandering around deviantArt far too often. She also likes Italy's 'equal sign face' a LOT.**

**Clarification: Miriam is my best friend from high school, and is still one of my best friends now. She is the blame for all this, as well as convincing me to post it up. But it didn't take that much convincing, in her defense.**

**

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**

Lovina was sitting in her room, minding her own business, when suddenly there was a flash of light at her window.

She glanced at it without thinking, then did a double take, shrieking in surprise. There, astride a majestic winged unicorn, sat the intense eyebrowed boy from the auditions.

"Lovina Vargas!" He barked. "You have a callback next week for the part of Maria. Be prepared to meet a really hot Spanish boy who you will fall in love with! Eventually!"

Arthur flew away, leaving her flabbergasted.

* * *

While Lovina was gasping for breath and wondering how her life had suddenly careened into absolute idiocy, Wang Yao was walking his Pomeranian puppy in the park a few blocks away. He happened to peer up at the sky and was astonished to see a trail of rainbow glitter.

"AIYAHHH!" He screamed. "IT'S THAT ENGLISH BOY AND HIS HORNY STALLION, ARU! I must go home and protect my little brother before he kidnaps him, aru!"

Yao tucked the little ball of fluff under his arm and sprinted towards the east like a football quarterback. Alfred would have be proud.

* * *

Ludwig tossed and turned under the sheets. Somehow, he was finding it very difficult to fall asleep that night. After two hours of restlessly lying in bed, his tired body finally succumbed to rest. His tired brain, however, couldn't escape even in dreamland.

He dreamt that he was in a field surrounded by hundreds of yellow daffodils. Happily flopping down onto the sweet-smelling carpet of flowers, Ludwig savoured the satisfaction of being alone. Suddenly, he heard a sound gradually becoming louder.

_VEEEEEEEEEEEEEE_~

He sat up in alarm. Though sounding incredibly familiar, Ludwig couldn't place the voice as it rumbled closer and closer. Turning around, he saw a sight that got him to his feet. An enormous face, eyes squinting so tightly that it resembled two lines, loomed up behind him.

Ludwig ran.

...And woke up. Rolling over, he saw his cuckoo clock telling him that it was only 4:07 AM. Ludwig moaned and covered his head with his pillow.

How was he going to face Feliciana tomorrow?

* * *

_The next day, in which Ludwig probably had much more on his plate than worrying about Feli__,__ but we'll never know how he truly responds since he's not mentioned in this next bit._

"THIS IS AWESOME!"

Gillian stomped around gleefully, not noticing the screams of terror coming from her feet.

"Being 50 feet tall is so awesome!"She paused to pick up a car with two fingers. "World domination is a cinch in this size!"

As the enormous albino continued to ravage the city, Arthur was dashing through the streets, appropriately freaking out.

"WHO in the EFFIN' hell ever thought THIS was a GOOD idea?"

"OUT OF THE WAY! HERO TO THE RESCUE!"

Arthur flattened himself against a crumbling wall as a streak of red, white and blue flew past him, emanating a very familiar shout of laughter. Said streak flew up and collided with Gillian's shoulder.

"Owwww~" Alfred moaned as he plummeted to the ground.

Arthur rolled his eyes and continued running. He rushed around a corner, and skidded to a halt.

"ANTONIO! FRANCIS!" he shouted. "Your friend's gone mad, you morons! Stop her!"

The two boys in question glanced up from the small bistro table they were seated at. Francis shook his head.

"Sorry, Arthur, but we're really busy right now." He went back to sorting the M&Ms. "Toni, you're supposed to put them in their own colour groups!"

"But look!" His companion pointed at the tiny candies. "They're so pretty in a rainbow!"

Arthur gaped at them incredulously, and was about to scream at them again when a thundering jolt shook the street. The M&Ms cascaded off the tabletop onto the ground, much to Francis's dismay.

Antonio finally realized what was going on around him. "Oh! Hey, Gilly!" he called out, waving an arm.

"Hey, 'Tonio!" the gigantic girl replied just as cheerfully. Arthur facepalmed as she went on her way, and Antonio turned to help Francis with the M&Ms.

* * *

**A/N: Good Lord, I cannot believe I actually posted this****.**

**PS. "Horny stallion" was totally taken from fanart. I'm sure quite a few of you have seen the phrase before****.**


	31. Newsflash and OMAKE: Antonio

**A/N: Hello, readers! Don't think you expected an alert from THIS story now, did you? C:**

**I'll explain the reason for this update as succinctly as I can. It's been almost two years since I started this. It was my first Hetalia fanfiction…in fact, my first piece of creative writing since high school. What it did was open a floodgate to a whole new way of spending my time…many stories came after this, including some that were completely original – which in turn, included one that was eventually published in an official literary journal. The person who gave you chapter one of **_**World Wide Story**_** back in summer 2010 would not have seen that coming for miles. I truly think that I have grown as a writer (and even just a person), but I also think I could benefit from retracing my steps.**

**That is why I've decided to take this story, edit it, and replace each chapter with a new version. Before any questions are asked, I'll assure you that the plot (and probably most of the dialogue) will NOT be altered at all. It's still going to be Lovina and Antonio, it's still going to be **_**West Side Story**_**, and it's still going to be from auditions to rehearsals to opening to cast party. I only want to clean it up – fix spelling inconsistencies, rethink awkward phrases, remove some unnecessary author notes…also, now I've added so much more to this AU and explored different characters. When I wrote this, I used a lot of fanon tropes. That's still fun, but now I'm far more familiar with the characters that I have created here. I want this AU to be more seamless between stories, so I'll be adding minor tweaks in personality and more references to past events.**

**But, wait. It won't do to make an update that's just one long-ass author's note. Have an omake!**

**Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
****West Side Story belongs to Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim, and Leonard Bernstein.**

* * *

Just across the neighbourhood, a small house with yellow walls and red tiles stood quietly at an intersection. Light poured out of the windows, forming elongated squares on the lawn – though they were occasionally hampered by somebody moving around on the inside. Not noticing her shadow mimicking her every move, Celia Fernandez emptied her laundry basket onto the family couch and started to sort through the dried clothes.

No sooner had she picked up the first towel, the mound of laundry automatically began to sing. Before she had time to react, a shout stopped her.

"Hey, ma! That's for me!"

Antonio raced into view, staggering slightly as his socked feet slipped a bit on the hardwood floor as he tried to turn sharply at a corner. Shooting his mother a sheepish smile, he dug through the shirts and underwear to unearth the family cordless phone. Shrugging in apology again, he hurried back into his room, pressing the 'talk' button at the same time.

"Hello?"

"Toni! Congratulations."

"You mean I got in?"

Francis's laughter sounded faint as Antonio momentarily dropped it onto his bed. The teenager's room was in a shocking state of disarray, though this suited its tenant fine. Antonio began to dig around his sheets for his science textbook as his best friend continued to talk.

"No, no. There's still callbacks. They're going to send an email to everyone…but if you didn't get it yet, you're down for two of the lead roles. And I'm sure you'll get at least one of them. Arthur's never going to admit it, but you were secretly one of his favourites."

Antonio grinned as a sheaf of AP Biology notes cascaded to the floor. "Really? Why?"

"Because you actually used a song from a musical. And you know how to stay on key. Did you get his email yet?"

More papers scattered to the floor as Antonio picked up the receiver again and floundered through his belongings to reach an equally cluttered desk. Sure enough, his browser was blinking furiously with an alert. Antonio began to read aloud.

_Dear Auditionee,_

_Congratulations! You have been invited to the callbacks for WEST SIDE STORY. This is your opportunity to really show off your talent, and maybe nab a role. Please pay attention to the following information carefully:_

_The callbacks will be held in the auditorium directly after class finishes this coming Monday. If you are going to be late, let us know. You will not be required to bring anything apart from your best behavior and comfortable clothes to move around in. The main component of the callbacks is to see your dancing ability._

_In addition, some of you may be requested to stay behind after the main portion in case we want to have you read a scene or try a song. Be prepared for this. If you are not asked, this does not mean that we are not considering you for the show, it simply means that we already have a good idea of what we want from you._

_Thank you again for auditioning, and see you Monday afternoon!_

_Sincerely,  
Arthur Kirkland, Director_

"See, you'll be staying behind. For either Tony or Bernardo."

Antonio brightened at these words. "Cool! My name's even like Tony!"

"Well, yeah," Francis sniffed. "_I_ call you Toni."

"What did Gill get?"

"She's being called back for Anita." Antonio barely heard this reply, rereading a few lines of Arthur's email. Francis continued. "It was surprisingly easy to convince Arthur that by having her_ in_ the show, she'll be too invested and busy with it to screw it up like last year..."

"Hey, Fran-fran. What's the dancing part gonna be about? Are you doing it?"

"Oh, right. It's basically for us to decide who's workable and who's hopeless, as well as to figure out early on who should be hidden behind who..."

"So I have to dance?"

"Of course. But no worries, cher. I am confident you will be an amazing dancer."

Antonio shrugged, now typing back a quick and altogether far too cheerful reply to Arthur, exclaiming just how _great_ it was to be considered for callbacks and he'd be there like nobody's business. It turned out that he'd forgotten that he'd wedged the receiver between his chin and shoulder, and it went clattering to the floor. "Okay...who's going to be Maria?"

He could hear the smirk through the phone. "Wouldn't you like to know."

"What! You won't tell me?"

"You'll see her soon anyway."

"Aha! So there's only one. But that's still, like...a whole weekend."

"Patience is a virtue," his friend chided him loftily. Antonio sighed. Patient as he was, this was far too exciting. Maybe even if he didn't get this particular role, not knowing who was going to be what was just too fascinating. Now he had to wait for Monday.

* * *

_Puerto Rico, you lovely island, island of tropical breezes..._

Antonio sat, chin in hands, with Francis. The rest of the panel trailed out along the pushed-together desks, pens poised and intently watching the girls clustered around Roderich's piano. Antonio looked behind him for a second and spotted Elizabeta edging away from Gillian's sharp elbows as they dutifully followed along with the sheet music.

_Always the pineapples growing, always the coffee blossoms blowing!_

The dancing segment earlier that afternoon hadn't been too bad, barring all the near catastrophes – all of which were the causes of others, he was happy to announce. Clara had been his dance partner this time around. Although it was slightly awkward to have to hold her by the waist, considering their past, at least Erik wasn't lurking around the corners and shooting him death glares. She'd been pleasantly cordial about it. In retrospect, it was probably better than being with a flailing and kicking Gillian anyway.

It was nearly the very end of the callbacks, and he was bored. And this mystery actress hadn't showed up yet. Antonio had overheard the stage managing girl – what was her name again...Margaret? – question Arthur about her dance abilities, but the director had merely waved it off as a problem to be tackled later. Not even a name had been mentioned. It was driving him crazy.

"No, we've already heard you, Gill. Give the others a chance!"

Across from him, Francis chuckled. He'd been infuriatingly smug all day. Antonio had given up. Watching the Anita wannabes was hilarious, but he found himself in daydreams. Before he knew it, he found himself being poked aggressively by Gillian, and realized that this penultimate part of the callbacks was finally over.

"Haha, 'Tonio! Beat that for an awesome callback!"

"Oh yes, I wonder what the outcome of this will be, since he's the only one being considered for Tony..."

"See, that proves my point. He's gettin' it way too easy that way. But me, I put up an epic fight to beat out all the unawesome weenies for my part."

"Roddy, if you pick her over me, then you have a _lot _to make up for."

Gillian twisted around from her perch on the desk to flash Elizabeta her most arrogant smirk. "It's not your fault! I'm just more awesome than you!"

"You don't even know who's got the part yet." As Elizabeta stalked off, Francis plucked the pencil out of Antonio's hand. He sighed and tossed the doodle away.

"Hey, Antonio!"

Finally, Arthur was calling him. Antonio turned around again and saw the thin British boy standing next to a very nervous-looking girl who looked ready to bolt. Even as Arthur began to say something again, Antonio tuned him out as he continued to observe this newcomer. Shoulder length auburn hair pushed back by a headband, big hazel eyes that darted all around the auditorium, a slim nose and lips that twisted about uncomfortably. Antonio couldn't understand why a person who clearly looked so out of place would be here, at a musical audition.

Gillian shouted something over his head, causing Arthur to scowl at her a little bit. The new girl started, blushing a bit, and it hit Antonio like a cartload of bricks. Ohhhh, _this_ was Maria!

Suddenly things were far more interesting. Gillian bounded over – one could just feel all the energy and confidence rolling off her skin in sheets.

"Don't be nervous. My awesomeness will inspire you!"

Automatically, the girl frowned and rolled her eyes. Her nose twitched just tiniest bit as she did so, and Antonio realized it was probably the cutest thing he'd ever seen.

Ever.

He found himself smiling widely as she and Gillian began to read their scene. After a few moments, he realized that he hadn't even caught her name. Which was a bit ridiculous; he was sure someone had said it at some point. He leaned over to Francis, who was chortling at one of the lines.

"Hey...what's her name?"

"Lovina. Lovina Vargas."

Lovina. For some reason, Antonio had been expecting Maria, just like the character, but now he realized that would have been rather improbable. Lovina. But it was still the same syllables, stresses, even vowel sounds...

Gillian said something funny, and Francis burst out into full-on laughter. Antonio looked, and began to laugh too. Okay, so maybe he'd missed the context of the line, but Lovina's expression of mixed confusion, annoyance and uncertainty was absolutely hilarious and endearing.

"Lovina, you're going to read the Dance scene with Antonio. He's Tony, you're Maria."

Well, there you go. Antonio,Tony. Lovina, Maria. It was kind of meant to be, wasn't it? He walked over, watching, and hoping to see some sort of indication that yes, she understood too – but Lovina merely frowned again, eyebrows furrowing. Up close, he could tell that she had a slightly rounder face than most girls – not that she was chubby, but more like...soft cheeks, did that even make any sense? Antonio had never thought that hard about face shapes before now.

"What's your problem? Is there something wrong with me?"

He didn't realize that his own staring would produce such an uncomfortable effect. Then again, Antonio rarely took the results into account whenever he took action.

"...Or do you need someone to tell you what you're supposed to be doing? I can help you with that. The lines are on that paper in your hand, not my face, dumbass."

"Oh!" He thought to apologize, but she'd retreated into embarrassment territory again, blushing. Antonio automatically forgot about apologies (anyway, he really wasn't sorry at all). "You're cute when you blush!"

Her mouth dropped open. Antonio interpreted this as an invitation to keep digging his hole.

"You have a really round face. Wow, that's really red! Imagine if your round, red face turned into a tomato?"

He actually didn't mean for her to hear the last part, but Antonio had this awkward tendency to think out loud. Lovina squirmed, then squinted hard at him.

"Don't touch me, you creepy bastard!"

"Are you two finished yet?"

At the panel table, Arthur was standing impatiently, fists on hips. Antonio suddenly remembered why they were there.

"Then let's begin."

"Sure!" He forced himself to look down at the paper. It was just reading, wasn't it?

"You're not thinking that I'm someone else?"

"I know you are not."

"Or that we have met before?"

"I know we have not."

"I felt, I _knew_ something never before was going to happen, had to happen. But this is...!"

He had to stop there. The next line was supposed to be by Maria, who would cut Tony off. But Lovina was looking at him incredulously, her nose all scrunched up again. Arthur was watching though, so Antonio couldn't comment on it. So he just watched her. Then after a few more seconds, cleared his throat awkwardly.

She panicked and held up her script. Antonio had to grin. "My hands are cold."

Well, that was really random. Antonio glanced back at the paper in his hands. _He takes them in his_. Okay, sure. The moment he touched her wrist, Lovina nearly jumped back.

"Y-yours too?"

_He moves her hand to his face_. Antonio obeyed, and truly, her fingers were actually really cold. Without thinking, he began to rub the tip of her fingers lightly, because that's what his mother used to do for him when he was younger, and had complained about cold fingers...

"So warm..."

He smiled. "Yours too."

"B-but...of course. They are the same."

These lines were kind of over the top, but Antonio liked that. Lovina's fingers were beginning to tense up, so he gently removed them from his cheek to hers. She was still blushing so hard that you could _feel_ how warm it was. He almost laughed as he said, "It's so much to believe – you're not joking me?"

"I have not yet learned to joke that way. Now I think I never will."

That was the end of the scene.

"Excellent," Arthur breathed. "Excellent."

* * *

**A/N: And that was Chapter 4 from Antonio's point of view C: He's the type who has mad skills at things (like acting?) without trying hard too hard.**

**I'm going to start uploading the new chapters on WWS's anniversary, July 25th, along with another sequel. And I think I'll resume my weekly updating again too =D Since I'll just be replacing chapters, I'm not sure whether there will be email alerts. Anyway, I hope you will enjoy themh. I know I will be happy to revisit my characters and their hijinks too. C: Thank you!**


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